BROOMFIELD, Colo. — Two decades ago, a church group in Broomfield saw their neighbors were going hungry. So, they opened a food pantry.
"In those days we used to think that six families was a big night and now we feed about 400 families a week," said Bryan Decker, executive director of the pantry.
Now, they need help to keep their doors open.
"Right now we need at least $40,000," he said.
Decker said with the rising cost of food, rent, insurance, and gas, they're in need of donations to keep going.
No one at the North Denver Cares Food Pantry gets paid for their work, including Decker.
"I would certainly like to continue making sure the hungry get fed," he said.
Decker, his wife, and a couple of other families from their church started the pantry in 2003.
"It was just a longing to serve people," he said. "My wife was a integral part of starting this and she also had that passion in her life."
His wife has since passed away, but at 82-years-old, Decker doesn't plan on quitting. He spends about 60-70 hours per week at the pantry.
"Age to me is a number and as long as I can do what I do and feel good it makes no difference what it is," he said.
Even when the hours are long and the odds seem stacked against him, it only motivates him more.
"It's not a job to Bryan. It's more of, he's just helping his family out," said Natalie Bendinelli.
Bendinelli has been volunteering at the pantry for the last decade, picking up food donations from local stores.
"There are so many more people who are hungry than we know," she said. "There are parents who are struggling to make ends meet to feed their kids."
She's one of more than 200 volunteers here at the pantry who hope to continue their mission.
"It's been just a blessing to be able to do this and be able to serve people and make sure they have something to eat," said Decker.
Decker said 60% of the pantry's food comes from Community Food Share. He said they're also working on writing more grants to try and get more funding. If you'd like to help by donating to the pantry, click here.
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