If you need food, start by calling the Food Resource Hotline at 855-855-4626. If you live in the Denver metro area call 720-382-2920. Their operators will tell you the locations and hours of the closest free meal or food pantry. Operators can also sign you up for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), formerly known as food stamps.
You can also call 211 and their operators will tell you the locations of food banks near you.
Listed below are several places that are like a restaurant, except they understand you may not have the money to pay for the full cost of the meal. These wonderful organizations provide healthy fresh food and a warm place to rest. COVID-19 UPDATE: During this time, it’s best to check websites and call all organizations to confirm hours before going.
3315 S Broadway, Englewood CO 80113
Denver Metro
Englewood
Cafe 180 provides fresh food made from scratch. They take donations instead of charging fixed prices, so if you can afford the $10-12 suggested donation, that's great. If you can't, you can make a donation. They want anyone to eat healthy food, regardless of their ability to pay. Apprenticeship opportunities are also available.
More Infobasic needs, employment, food, housing
5345 Arapahoe Avenue #5, Boulder CO 80303
Denver Metro
Boulder
Community Table Kitchen is a social enterprise of Bridge House. They provide Grab and Go breakfast and lunch items as well as a catering service.
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Statewide
Don't forget to ask about SNAP/food assistance at your county's Department of Human Services. Click on website to find the statewide list of DHS offices. You may be eligible for food assistance if you’re unemployed or work part time or don’t make much money, receive other public assistance, are elderly or disabled and have a small income, or are homeless. If you think you’re eligible, apply for food assistance right away. It can take up to a month to get started with the program. If you’re eligible, you’ll receive monthly benefits that are issued on the Colorado Quest Card, which looks like a credit card.
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225 Maple Street, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Northeast
Fort Collins
FoCo is a nonprofit restaurant in Fort Collins that lets patrons pay what they can. Meals are nutritious and made daily using fresh locally grown ingredients. If you have no money, you can work for your meal.
More Infofood banks, food pantry, free meals, SNAP
Statewide
Hunger Free Colorado provides a Food Resource Hotline for current info on food pantries and free meal locations throughout Colorado. If you're looking for food, start by calling the hotline. Operators will also help you sign up for SNAP/food assistance. Calls to the Food Resource Hotline are confidential and they help everyone, regardless of legal status. English and Spanish.
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427 N Garfield Ave, Loveland, CO 80537
Northeast
Loveland
Loveland's Community Kitchen provides food for people who are hungry, conversation for the lonely, and rest for the struggling. Open 7 days a week, including holidays, and all meals are free. Whoever walks in the door is welcome and given a meal. Snack packs to take with you are also available.
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Funding for families with children who receive free or reduced-price school meals
Statewide
Do you have children who received free or reduced-price school meals before COVID-19 closed down the schools? The Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) program may be able to help your family out. It funds households with an EBT card with the value of the free school breakfast and lunch reimbursement rates for the days that schools have been closed in March, April, and May, which equals $5.70 per day. Those funds can then be spent on eligible food items at many local and online retail stores. Click on the website link to learn more. There is a good frequently asked questions section.
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422 West 7th St, Pueblo, CO 81003
Southeast
Pueblo
Pueblo Community Soup Kitchen provides a free light breakfast from 9-10am and hot noon meal for individuals and families.
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402 Kimbark St, Longmont CO 80501
Denver Metro
Longmont
Recovery Café Longmont supports adults as they rebuild their lives and break the cycle of addiction, or overcome a recent crisis or trauma. Recovery Café Longmont is open Tuesday - Saturday from noon to 4pm with a communal meal served at 12:30pm. Membership is free and all are welcome. Members must be drug and alcohol free for 24-hours, contribute to the Café and to the healing of others, and attend a weekly Recovery Circle.
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2023 E Colfax, Denver CO 80206
Denver Metro
Denver
So All May Eat, or SAME Cafe, provides a healthy meal with a minimum ask of $2. You can also pay for your meal with work in the kitchen. Enjoy a healthy lunch in a cafe environment with friendly people from all walks of life.
More InfoHunger Free Colorado Summer Meals 2020
Statewide
Summer Meals provide no-cost, nutritious meals to youth 18 and under, regardless of immigration status. There’s no registration, application, or identification required to get a meal. To find a site near you, text “food” or “comida” to 877-877 or click on the website link and enter your address. Really! You'll get a list of locations where you can pick up a meal. During the pandemic locations can serve more than one meal at a time, offer grab-and-go meals, and parents can pick up the meals without children present.
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Statewide
Call 2-1-1 to ask an operator about food banks and food pantries in your city. You can also search by city on the website for a food bank near you. During business hours you can call an operator, do a live chat online, or text your zip code to 898-211. Outside business hours, search the resource database.
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