Volunteer Events Combat Hunger While Building Community Connections in Cortez

Cortez has a significant retired population, and many retirees are eager to contribute to their community. The problem is many don’t know how to connect with local nonprofits or volunteer opportunities. Recognizing this untapped potential, the local volunteer coordinator for Spark the Change Colorado reached out to LOR with an idea. LOR’s funding will help launch quarterly volunteer events where Cortez locals can come together to package meals for food-insecure residents. The initiative, coordinated with the Montezuma Leadership Network, aims to engage 60 volunteers per event and produce 20,000 ready-to-distribute meals—addressing both social isolation among seniors and food insecurity in the community through a single collaborative effort.