By Anjel Garcia
At the Pueblo Care and Share food warehouse I learned that a lot has changed ever since the pandemic hit the country. Their staff adapted very well to the new regulations set in place for the food industry. I got to see firsthand the process of packaging the foods and distributing them shown by their manager Roger. I also got to see the various locations that they deliver food to in Southwest Colorado which is the majority of pantries in Southwest Colorado. At the Belly box downtown, which is a box that contains food and other goods such as clothing and shoes that anyone is able to donate to. I learned that the community around the Belly Box cherishes donations and takes good care of the appearance of the Belly Box itself.
Lastly, I visited one of the mobile food pantries that were operating by East High School and were able to participate in loading over 160,000 pounds of food for a program called Pueblo protect. There I learned what it takes to run and operate a mobile food pantry. One of my biggest takeaways was the massive line wrapping around the block around Risley Middle School. These experiences were vital to my understanding of the food distribution system and the problems that residents in need in our community face today. Especially how encouraging this is to give back to the community in such a positive manner which is appreciated in times like these.