All of the pantry items are provided by members of the congregation, not outside donors, Pence said. However, “anybody can donate, and anybody can shop.”

The food pantry is, unfortunately, a familiar site. And not just in America. According to NPR, in 2020, the pandemic led researchers to believe that the number of people experiencing "acute food insecurity" could double.

The demand for the pantry has gone up and down over the course of the pandemic, Pence explained. Currently, they serve about 20 families in the area on a regular basis.

Pence emphasized that the process is anonymous. People picking up food or other items don’t need to give their names or any other information if they don’t want to. And they don’t need to be a member of the church, either.

“I think there are so many people who need some help right now, especially since we’ve gone through the virus,” said Sally Korb, a member of the Community Care Center. “It’s nice to know we can help the community.”

The pantry is now operating at full capacity, and although Colorado appears to be turning a corner on the pandemic, Pence said the pantry will be there “forever, for anybody who needs it.”

Julio Sandoval is a multimedia journalist at Rocky Mountain PBS. You can reach him at juliosandoval@rmpbs.org.