A local nonprofit is doing its part to get food to Denver families in need.
Feeding Denver's Hungry is based on Jim Scharper's personal mission: "Nobody should have to work hard and not be able to afford food."
That message is also the inspiration behind what he believes is the first free grocery store in Denver.
“I saw what a great need there was after being on the street just to acquire food,” Scharper told Rocky Mountain PBS.
Scharper was experiencing homelessness during a battle with alcoholism 12 years ago.
After achieving sobriety, Schaper began making sandwiches and distributing them to people in need. That led to establishing Feeding Denver's Hungry.
Over the last eight years, he expanded enough to deliver full-bagged lunches to people in need.
In April, the nonprofit opened a free grocery store after the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated hunger and homelessness.
“This pandemic shortened work,” Yeli Flores, a mom who uses the free grocery store to feed her family told RPBS. “Just having lots of kids at the house eating more… so this is very helpful for us. And especially for the kiddos, they don’t understand what we’re going through."
The free grocery store is located in Denver's Montbello neighborhood, south of East 56th Avenue.