Media Contact: Samuel Landercasper – Economic Assistance Manager, 970-920-5244
ASPEN, Colorado – September 15, 2020 – Prior to the onset of the pandemic, food insecurity was impacting one in ten Coloradans, including one in six children and one in ten older adults. During the pandemic, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as Food Stamps) caseload in Pitkin County increased by more than 50%. In addition to increasing the number of mobile food distributions to meet the increased demand, the amount and types of foods being distributed has also grown.
In an effort to gauge the increase in need for free food resources, collect consumer input on the current state of the food system, and gather opinions on how the system could be improved, the Pitkin County Department of Human Services, working with Aspen Family Connections, Food Bank of the Rockies, LIFT-UP, the Aspen Homeless Shelter, Aspen Skiing Company, and Roaring Fork Schools, has developed a community survey in both English and Spanish. This survey is being distributed to all communities between Aspen and Parachute and will be accepting submissions through September 30th, 2020.
“We are happy to be working with our partners to gather useful data to address the issue of food insecurity in the region during the pandemic as well as moving forward. We hope that everyone will be able to take some time and provide their input as it will be extremely helpful for us to develop a relevant and contemporary solution to the issue of food insecurity in our area.” said Pitkin County Economic Assistance Manager, Samuel Landercasper.
The survey should take between 10-15 minutes to complete and it is completely anonymous. Personal information is only collected for individuals interested in volunteering to assist at local pantries and distributions. For questions about this survey, please contact the Economic Assistance department at(970) 920-5244or[email protected].
English Survey Link: https://forms.gle/dWaFhq9jh89nV5AV8
Spanish Survey Link: https://forms.gle/pQccanyU7a5TyC6W8
