By JOHN WATERS, Courier Information Editor
ALAMOSA— La Puente held a ribbon-cutting occasion on Nov. 7 for the brand new San Luis Valley Meals Financial institution Community, positioned at 802 State Ave., Alamosa.
The challenge has been within the works for a number of years, based on Lance Cheslock, govt director of La Puente, who advised the Valley Courier: “La Puente owns this facility for the group in perpetuity and we’ve a mission to serve the group. We had over 200 volunteers who contributed to creating this occur and over 75 extra as contractors, a lot of whom donated in-kind companies for this.”
The meals financial institution is positioned on the location of the previous Atencio Market and wanted main renovations earlier than opening to the general public on the finish of September.
Alamosa Mayor Ty Coleman mentioned, “I'm actually impressed with what the meals financial institution does; whereas touring at the moment, I spotted that La Puente serves everybody in the neighborhood. They talked about that they serve greater than 5,000 unduplicated guests a yr in the neighborhood on the shelter; there are numerous individuals who have the chance to eat; it’s one much less youngster and household who’s hungry and continues to acquire the mandatory dietary values and keep wholesome all of the work. that the meals financial institution doesn’t solely in Alamosa and all through the San Luis Valley.
In a earlier interview, Cheslock confirmed that “the renovation was on finances and our finances took under consideration that we would wish 1,500 hours of volunteering (each skilled and non-professional) to maintain prices down. “We ended up receiving over 2,500 hours of volunteer help and 250 individuals contributed to the renovations.”
In the course of the ribbon slicing, Annalize Baer, director of the Meals Financial institution Community, mentioned, “That is really a day of gratitude. Dignity is on the middle of every little thing we do at La Puente and on the Meals Financial institution Community. “Meals Banks. It's actually our guiding mild. And it's current in all of our ideas and the way we serve our group and the individuals who come right here to purchase meals.”
Meals financial institution volunteer Deborah Huss was chosen by La Puente to chop the ribbon and had this to say about her volunteer expertise: “I got here in and volunteered right here, and I find it irresistible. The individuals are so welcoming and I simply wish to be a part of this group.
“I've realized lots in regards to the want for this place, the individuals who come. I get pleasure from day by day I'm right here. I volunteer two days per week and that's nice with me. I've realized that generally issues occur in individuals's rooms . lives, they usually might have the meals financial institution. Persons are all the time very grateful right here; I’ve not come throughout anybody who has been disagreeable and I’m studying to not decide and deal with everybody as I would love. that they handled me with dignity. I’ve acquired as a lot as I give right here.
At 6,500 sq. toes, the brand new meals financial institution is almost double the scale of the earlier location and provides way more area for meals storage. The area even has a big walk-in cooler, which was being labored on whereas the ribbon slicing was going down.
The meals financial institution is open from midday to four pm Monday by Friday.