The No Cost Grocery program at Food to Power in Colorado Springs has seen increasing demand as food prices rise and government assistance declines. The nonprofit hosts fresh food pop-ups twice a week, where people can select from a variety of produce harvested that morning from the on-site farm, along with other donated groceries and household items. Volunteers clean, weigh, and package food for shoppers, who do not have to meet eligibility requirements or fill out paperwork.
Andrea Torres, a shopper who previously volunteered at Food to Power while attending Pikes Peak State College, now relies on the program to supplement her income. “It means a lot,” she said. “And it helps a lot of people.”
Nearly 200 people attended a recent event at Food to Power’s Hillside Hub location. The No Cost Grocery program is one way the organization supports local residents; last year, they served 35,000 people.
Food to Power executive director Patience Kabwasa described an unprecedented need for food assistance due to higher grocery prices and decreased government funding. “This is a moment in time when people need food exponentially more than they ever have in recent history,” Kabwasa said.
UCHealth recently awarded a $30,000 grant to Food to Power as part of its $775,000 in grants distributed across Colorado to improve community health. Last year, UCHealth provided $1.3 billion in community benefits statewide.
Kabwasa called the grant a “lifeline” for the organization during challenging times. “We believe fresh food is a human right,” she said.
Shane Nelson manages Food to Power’s quarter-acre farm at its headquarters in southeast Colorado Springs. Last year, he and his team produced over 10,000 pounds of vegetables and herbs for programs like No Cost Grocery.
Food to Power began as a volunteer effort collecting unsellable but edible food from stores in 2013 and has since grown into an organization focused on food access, education, and production. Since 2019, they have diverted 2.6 million pounds of fresh produce from landfills through their rescue operations.
Kabwasa noted that issues such as rising costs of living and cuts to federal assistance programs are worsening hunger and food insecurity locally. The group also runs No Cost Delivery for homebound individuals and partners with the SE Food Coalition on Community Fridge projects.
In El Paso County, nearly 10% of residents—about 70,000 people—are considered “food insecure,” according to Feeding America data.
Demand for Food to Power’s services doubled between 2023 and 2024 with an additional 21,000 people seeking help. Kabwasa anticipates even greater needs by the end of next year due to potential federal budget cuts affecting nutrition assistance programs.
Despite challenges such as canceled federal grants and proposed budget reductions that could further strain resources for families in need, Kabwasa expressed gratitude for continued community support: “We are going to feed the people we can with the resources we have,” she said. “Will we be able to alleviate hunger? Not alone.”
She also cited positive developments such as new state funding measures ensuring free meals for all public-school students through increased taxes on higher-income taxpayers.
“It’s going to help us continue to feed families with fresh food in a time when we are experiencing unprecedented need,” Kabwasa said about the UCHealth grant.
