by Gina Sacripanti
Mt. Carmel press release
TRINIDAD — Mt. Carmel Wellness and Community Center has created a new food program to support those in need during the coronavirus pandemic.
Through grant funding and local business support, Mt. Carmel is providing boxes of food to Trinidad and Las Animas County residents struggling to feed their families as a result of job loss or reduced hours.
Seeing the impact of COVID-19 on their clients and neighbors, the staff at Mt. Carmel applied for an emergency grant to help carry out its mission to keep community members healthy. Enabled by El Pomar Foundation’s generous grant of $7,500, Mt. Carmel began distributing 26 food boxes, on average, per week to residents on April 7, and distribution will continue through the beginning of May.
Each box includes enough food to prepare six meals for a family of four (24 individual meals per box). Several types of meat, an assortment of fruits and vegetables, and other miscellaneous meal components are provided in each box, as well as healthy recipes included to utilize the ingredients. Over the course of five weeks, Mt. Carmel staff will deliver food to those who are not mobile and provide a convenient drive-up service to those who are able to pick-up at Mt. Carmel.
“We are so thankful for the support by El Pomar Foundation and our community partners,” said Ashley DiPaola, Mt. Carmel Wellness and Community Center manager. “This generous support will allow us to provide over 3,000 meals to families in need.”
Additional support for Mt. Carmel’s food program was provided by the Purple Toad Social Tap & Grill, which contributed essential perishables for the meals, and by San Isabel Electronic Association and Basin Electric Power Cooperative, who each donated $1,000 to increase the program’s capacity to aid those with food insecurity.
Mt. Carmel staff are already looking forward to the opportunity to distribute more boxes next week. They will reach out to recipients who been referred by local agencies.
Community members wanting to support Mt. Carmel’s efforts can donate at mtcarmelcenter.org or by calling 719.845.4877.
Mt. Carmel Wellness and Community Center is located at 911 Robinson Avenue, Trinidad CO 81082. For more information, visit Mt. Carmel Wellness and Community Center and like us on Facebook.
