KJCT8.com - Grand Junction, Montrose - Weather, News, Sports | Holiday or not, the hungry need your help

Holiday or not, the hungry need your help

BY SARA GOLDENBERG
SGOLDENBERG@KJCT8.COM

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) -- The holidays bring out the giving side in many of us, and remind us to be thankful for what we have. But just because Thanksgiving is over doesn't mean the hunger for many in our community goes away.

On Thursday we saw many free Thanksgiving dinners held around the Grand Valley for those in need. But that was just one meal. We take a look at one soup kitchen that keeps hundreds from going hungry every day.

Hunger hides behind many faces. Without a helping hand—"I guess we wouldn't have anything to eat for today," said Skylar McGuff.

Many would go hungry.

"I lost a couple of friends last winter. It did hurt," said Dawn Archuleta.

Every day volunteers at the Catholic Outreach soup kitchen cook and serve hot meals to those that would otherwise go without. Andy Hutmacher has cooked at the soup kitchen every week for more than eight years. He says the lines are growing.

"We have a lot of poor, hungry people in our valley right now.  We are seeing some more children, more families now," he said.

Hutmacher estimates about 70 percent of the people they see for lunch are homeless. "Many of them are disabled, many are homeless and disabled."

He says the economy and job losses have really hit people hard here in the Grand Valley. And the need for food remains the same-- whether it's a holiday or not.

"Of course this time of year we get a lot of people coming in to help, Thanksgiving week and Christmas week. But I'd like to remind everybody that we would appreciate some help the other 50 weeks of the year too," Hutmacher said.

Volunteers cook up to 300 meals for the hungry Monday through Saturday year round. "We take great pride in the meals we serve and are truly blessed with the donations we get."

If you'd like to help out at the soup kitchen, they're always looking for more volunteers. You can stop by Catholic Outreach on First Street.