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Give Back Program

*Page last updated 01-31-2022 by Heath

If you’re looking for how to build a community blessing box blueprints head over to freefoodnow.org

 

Brief History

Our give back program has quite a bit of history:  it started as building and promoting little free libraries, because a community that reads together grows together.  It later evolved into fixing up laptops for families in need, because a laptop that has 5 basic necessities of powerpoint, excel, word, wireless internet and DVD playback is enough to lift a motivated family out of poverty.  Then we pioneered the creation of community blessing boxes (share stations) in the Arvada community. The boxes allowed anyone to donate and receive goods from their neighbors.  And they quickly assumed the role as 24-hour accessible emergency-food pantries for the neighborhoods they resided in. We noticed the boxes were constantly being used so they were empty frequently. This led us to building our program’s box-finder app, Free Food Now.  The first release of the app came in 2018 with the intention of helping people find and navigate to the boxes, we are excited and humbled by how this initiative and movement continues to unfold.

Next Steps

The goal for the next evolution of our give back program is to incorporate food pantries in Colorado on the app.  This will be a real challenge, because food pantry hours of operation often fluctuate and change, and we will need to form strong relationships with every food pantry we include on the app to ensure that the integrity of the app is providing the right information. To accomplish this, we have partnered with Hunger Free Colorado and the Colorado Food Pantry Network. We are excited for the app to officially hit both app stores, and to slowly add new food pantry locations to the map.

The Mission Of Free Food Now

to help people find free food at the time they need it.

As part of our commitment to the communities we serve, we are dedicated to being a connector, organizer, promotor and volunteer for organizations working to end hunger in the greater Denver Colorado Metro and beyond.

FREE FOOD NOW – APP UPDATES

Version 2 is LIVE on the GOOGLE PLAY STORE [March 21, 2020] – CLICK THE LINK BELOW!

Version 2 is PENDING on the APPLE APP STORE.

Download the App!

Free Food Now is the mobile app helping people find free food at the time they need it!

[apple store coming soon]

New features for v2 of the app!

~NEW FOOD PANTRY LOCATIONS

“Box Filled” Button! – App users can now mark a box as filled after the fill the box, this changes the color of the marker on the map for 3 hours to PINK!

Plus in addition to the Navigation button we’ve added buttons for: Edit Location, Add New Location & Call Food Pantry!

–check back to this page for press release and updates about new partnering organizations–

*Free Food Now is now a recognized non profit!*

 

Visit Their website!!

freefoodnow.org

Frequently Asked Questions


Something happened to my box, how do I fix it?

Should something happen to your box the following volunteer contractors in Arvada are happy to assist you:

Steve Norton (steve@macmillanhomeservices.com)
MacMillan Home Services
(720) 552-4565


How do I join the waitlist to receive a box?

Before placing a box on your property we strongly recommend you talk to your neighbors about the idea of placing one in your neighborhood.  Your box is completely community supported, so having the support of your community is important.

To join the waitlist email the Director of Mission Arvada, Rebel Rodriguez rebel@missionarvada.org

Download The Boy Scouts of America Community Blessing Box Blueprints by visiting: https://communityblessingbox.com


How can I help?

Thank you for your interest in joining the outdoor box movement!  One way of supporting this movement is to help keep boxes filled.  You can download the new box locator app and use it to navigate your way to boxes that need filling throughout Arvada.

We always need people to help clean and repair boxes.

For more volunteer opportunities email the Director of Mission Arvada, Rebel: rebel@arvadarising.com


How do I build my own?

For easy cleanup, shelves inside each box are removable.  New hosts become fully responsible for their box (box name, artwork & occasional-to-frequent cleaning) and how the community supports it.  If you don’t have the artistic touch to paint your box, nominate someone who can!

1
BUILD

2
PAINT

3
TAKE WHAT YOU NEED, LEAVE WHAT YOU CAN

Download Guide


Give Back Program - Values

 


(interview) How do you serve your community?

When I moved to Arvada, I joined the Rising Church and saw how much they were doing for the community immediately surrounding them. I loved it and became a member there in late 2014. It felt good to give back through them and I eventually started helping them with their media and websites. In late 2015, I found the Arvada Chamber and hit the ground running by joining the Arvada Young Professionals group and attending Organizations Serving Arvada meetings. Last year, I joined the Leadership Jefferson County program that is currently building a community garden at Foster Elementary.

I love to learn how other people are giving back. From my involvement with churches in Arvada and Northwest Denver, I learned that there were a lot of churches and organizations that wanted the same thing. That’s where I got a passion for helping them communicate their message efficiently through their website. Being able to effectively communicate your “why” and how your business helps the community helps to put others in touch with you and makes your job easier too.


(interview) What’s the most recent way your business has contributed to the local community?

Installing the Blessing Box in Olde Town Arvada. It’s a community-sharing program and prior to moving to Colorado, we opened one lending library at a business in Iowa. But I found out that you could use these Little Lending Libraries either inside a business or outside as their own standing structure—and I took to that idea of having a community-sharing box.

Anything can be put in it, whether it is books or food or whatever it is that people who live there need or want, or choose to give. It’s a great opportunity for people who want to give back, especially to the homeless or a family who might require help with groceries that week. Having this available provides another outlet for individuals to get what they need when they need it. It also gives people in the community a way to give back. It isn’t always easy to know how to do that.


Press

  • May 27th, 2019: Little pantries help families in need – Channel 7
  • March 21st, 2018: Blessing Box helps feed Arvada’s homeless from sidewalk – FOX 31
  • July 11th, 2017: Rising Church’s Blessing Box provides for hungry community in Olde Town Arvada – Arvada Press
  • December 8th, 2014: Lending library opens to public at Rost Motor


Photo Gallery

Little Free Library in Manson, IA – 2015
Little Free Pantry in Arvada, CO, March 2017
Blessing Box at Cornerstone Church – Fall 2017



Ribbon cutting for Community Share Stations, @ Arvada FD #2 – June 11 2018

Community Volunteer Leaders

Director of Mission Arvada, Rebel Rodriguez | rebel@arvadarising.com

Coordinator, NAC Food Pantry Sharon Wilson | nacdenver.foodpantry@gmail.com

Organizer Contact: Free Food Now | freefoodnow10@gmail.com

“Together we can create a stronger, healthier community”

 

For more information visit freefoodnow.org

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