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Partnership Between Colorado Access and the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing Leads to Healthy Food Program for St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Denver

DENVER — A community in need of help with food security and healthy eating now has a new food bank thanks, in part, to a partnership between Colorado Access and the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing. On July 31st an event was held at St. Mary Magdalene Roman Catholic Church to launch the new food program, in response to the community’s need for more healthy eating options and food stability.

The change comes from a desire of St. Mary Magdalene to provide their community with healthy food options. Previously, the church operated a food bank but did not have a refrigerator to provide perishable foods to the community members. With donations, the congregation was able to open their improved food bank on July 31 complete with a fully stocked refrigerator.

The food bank is part of a larger effort by the church to get its community healthy and taken care of in a variety of ways. Because the church’s congregation is largely made up of members of the Latino community, the new food bank’s grand opening was accompanied by a bazaar of Latino music and food. There was also an opportunity for attendees to receive free vaccinations and COVID-19 home test kits. The option to receive vaccines at no cost has been a continuous effort for St. Mary Magdalene, which began with Vaccination Sundays orchestrated by Colorado Access and Latino health care consultant Julissa Soto, “Public health has to be part of the community culture. It has to become a community norm” says Soto. “Status Quo Got To Go” or “Status Quo Tiene Que Irse” has been her rally cry as she crusades for better community health care and tries to persuade those who are skeptical about vaccinations. “For Colorado Access public health is part of the community culture. It has become a community norm!” she says.

The new and improved food bank now includes a fully stocked refrigerator to better serve the community’s need for healthy food options. It is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., to accommodate the working population, at St. Mary Magdalene, located at 2771 Zenobia Street in Denver. Anyone in the community is welcome to utilize the food bank.

About Colorado Access
As the largest and most experienced public sector health plan in the state, Colorado Access is a nonprofit organization that works beyond just navigating health services. The company focuses on meeting members’ unique needs by partnering with providers and community organizations to provide better personalized care through measurable results. Their broad and deep view of regional and local systems allows them to stay focused on members’ care while collaborating on measurable and economically sustainable systems that serve them better. Learn more at coaccess.com.