LIFT-UP was established in May of 1982 in response to the collapse of the oil shale industry and the hardest area hit was Rifle, CO, the epicenter of the crisis.
When the boom hit, the Rifle population had jumped from 2,700 to over 4,500 people as the workers rushed in eager for work. Following the collapse, however, over 2,000 people found themselves out of work, with no way to feed or care for their families: some living in cars and under bridges
In response to the ever-increasing crisis, local churches, businesses, and concerned citizens joined together to create a long-term solution to food insecurity in their town. It was through true community union and compassion that the organization LIFE INTERFAITH TEAM ON UNEMPLOYMENT AND POVERTY or, as we know it today; LIFT-UP.
It was quickly realized that food insecurity went far beyond Rifle and over the past 40 years, LIFT-UP has risen to meet the needs of our communities from Aspen to Parachute. LIFT-UP maintains established Food Pantries in Aspen, Carbondale, Glenwood Springs, New Castle, Rifle, and Parachute in addition to providing mobile food distribution services.
The rate at which LIFT-UP responded to the closure of our pantries while shifting to mobile distribution in 2020 was a massive undertaking.
In 2022, LIFT-UP expanded the Farm 2 Food Pantry Program, which supplies fresh, healthy food to our Pantries. Support of this initiative is vitally important to our guests, local farmers, and the Roaring Fork Valley communities.
The same urgent need for support exist in our community today though challenges differ. We have friends, coworkers, and neighbors who are suffering from food insecurity every day and need our help more than ever.
Our distribution infrastructure has had to expand and grow as fast as the 600% increase in need we have experienced since 2020. This need is only increasing as we all experience the rapidly rising costs of housing, food, and gas.
Your support of LIFT-UP’s infrastructure, operations, and food programs are just as important today as when we started our mission in 1982.
The LIFT-UP Board of Directors is comprised of individuals committed to ending hunger from Parachute to Aspen. With diverse expertise, our Board guides strategic direction, ensures accountability, and champions our mission to create lasting impact in our community.
With over 188,000 guests served and 800,000 pounds of food distributed last year, our pantries continue meeting critical needs despite growing demand and declining donations. Read on for our full impact report.
To that end, we have created a 3-year Strategic Plan that focuses on the development of our infrastructure to meet the demand of the people we serve. This translates to the need for increased and more centralized warehousing that allows us to expand our reach beyond I70 & 82. Understanding that transportation is the key to our functionality, we have an aggressive plan to expand our distribution capabilities through the purchase of trucks up to and including Mobile Food Pantries. Please feel free to view and download our 3-year plan.
STAPLES
SPICES
DRIED FOODS
CULTURAL
We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information or any other status protected by law or regulation. It is our intention that all qualified applicants are given equal opportunity and that selection decisions be based on job-related factors. In reading and answering the following questions, be aware that none of the questions are intended to imply illegal preferences or discrimination based upon non-job-related information.