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WHY IT MATTERS: The organization provides food for hundreds of thousands of people, covering about half of Colorado. * It includes metro Denver, northern Colorado, the Western Slope and the
Eastern Plains, and the entire state of Wyoming. STATE OF PLAY: The Food Bank is facing a two-headed monster. * Higher food costs due to inflation mean it's struggling to keep pace with
the increased demand — one Pulling said was caused by the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) reducing the amount of money some people got for food earlier this year.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: "We really don't see an end in sight," she said. BY THE NUMBERS: The Food Bank spends about $1.5 million on food every month. * Pulling says it
doesn't have an exact estimate of the number of people it helps because food is distributed through partnering agencies, so it's harder to track how many people are assisted. *
Food is distributed through smaller hunger relief organizations and 70 mobile pantries, which she said are available in both urban and rural areas where there are no brick-and-mortar
pantries. OF NOTE: Superstar Taylor Swift last week donated a "generous" amount of money that equated to about 75,000 meals. BE SMART: Pulling said the best way people can help the
nonprofit is by donating money instead of food. * She notes a $1 donation can be turned into three meals because the agency partners directly with manufacturers, retailers and the federal
government, so it can get food much cheaper.