Dolores County families can choose from two free summer meal programs

Dolores County parents now have two free ways to keep children fed this summer: weekly pickup boxes from Dove Creek ROCK start Thursday, June 4, and a mail-delivery program from Colorado Food Cluster is already serving county ZIP codes 81320, 81324 and 81332. Colorado Food Cluster says families can self-attest income, list allergies or dietary preferences, and use only one of the two programs.

The Dove Creek option is built around a local pickup point in town, which matters for families who do not want to drive to a farther distribution site. The boxes are for children ages 5 to 18 and run through Thursday, July 23. Each box includes five breakfasts and five lunches. Families can ask questions through Dove Creek ROCK’s Facebook page or by texting 970-739-3562.

Colorado Food Cluster’s meal deliveries reach children ages 3 to 18 across Montezuma and Dolores counties and include seven breakfasts and seven lunches in each box. Families request the service at app.coloradofoodcluster.com, and the program continues until the first week of school. The organization says the effort is supported by philanthropy, community partners, and USDA Summer Food Service Program and Child and Adult Care Food Program funding through the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.

The local push comes as household budgets remain tight. A Montezuma County parent and caregiver survey found more than 80 percent of respondents named cost of living their top stressor, with food access among the biggest concerns. That pressure helps explain why meal support is being organized two ways in Dolores County: one through a small-town pickup model in Dove Creek, and one through a broader delivery network that can reach homes across the county.

Dove Creek ROCK says its mission centers on food relief, youth and family enrichment, and community events, and a program listing associated with the group said it averaged 126 food boxes during 2024 drive-through distributions. The Dolores County School District RE-2J food-services page also points families to a summer food finder, while the United States Department of Agriculture says approved summer meal sites serve free meals and snacks to children 18 and younger. USDA also says some families may qualify for Summer EBT, which provides $120 in grocery benefits per eligible child in participating states and tribes.