Dolores Family Project Resumes Tuesday Food Distributions at Community Center

After months of searching for a stable home, the Dolores Family Project has resumed weekly food distributions at the Dolores Community Center, opening its doors every Tuesday from 4 to 6 p.m. to anyone in the community who needs food.

The pantry lost its longtime space at the Dolores Southern Baptist Church on 21st Street last September and spent several months without a permanent location. The Community Center stepped in to bridge the gap while the volunteer-run organization works to secure its own storage infrastructure.

"The community center decided to go ahead and let us keep distributing out of the community center until we get our shed set up," program coordinator Amber Lansing said. Anyone is eligible to receive food at the Tuesday distributions. "All community members are welcome to attend and receive food, with no questions asked," Lansing said.

The path to a permanent, independent setup has hit a setback. The organization had identified a discounted repossessed shed as its target purchase, but that unit sold before the group could act. Lansing said they have identified a comparable replacement but are running short on funds. "The one in mind is very similar to the one we had picked out, but we're about $2,500 short of purchasing that," she said. A fundraiser is in the works, with details expected to be shared with the community in the coming weeks.

Securing a shed would also unlock another service the project has had to pause. The organization's backpack program, which sends food home with students on weekends, is expected to restart at the beginning of the next school year once adequate storage is in place. Families who relied on the backpack program during the school year can contact Lansing directly for weekly assistance in the meantime.

For more information or to volunteer, contact Lansing at 970-844-4567.