Bienvenidos Food Bank Marks 50 Years Serving North Denver

Founded in 1976, Bienvenidos Food Bank was created during a time when food assistance programs were disappearing and a solution was needed fast. Today, Bienvenidos is older than Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization founded in 1979, a fact that underscores its deep commitment to serving people across Denver.

“[Because of] the support of our community we have been able to respond to all of these crises of these years,” said Greg Pratt, executive director of Bienvenidos. “Our community stepped up with us at the exact same time that we needed it.”

Located in the Northwest corner of Denver, Bienvenidos provides food assistance to families across Denver that face economic hardship. For the past 50 years, the organization has been an essential first line of support for neighbors.

“We’re celebrating our service to this community,” Pratt said. “For the next 50 years, I want to ensure that North Denver continues to have emergency food assistance for those who need it.”

Pratt, who has been the executive director of Bienvenidos since 2011, notes that the organization is especially valuable during times of economic hardship. He gave the example of when he first started volunteering in 2007; during the housing crisis, Bienvenidos experienced a dramatic increase in demand months before the recession dominated national news coverage.

“We were seeing people show up for food eight to twelve months before there were any media reports about the economic downturn,” Pratt said. “If you want to know what’s happening in the country, pay attention to your small food pantries.” 

Bienvenidos has experienced significant organizational changes on several occasions. Some of these major changes included the COVID-19 pandemic, a migrant influx into Denver and the federal government shutdown in November 2025, which resulted in the organization’s highest single-day demand in its 50-year history. During the federal government shutdown, Bienvenidos served 2,500 individuals, an increase of 30% over its previous record, which was broken during the migrant crisis. 

“We adapted very quickly to make it work during COVID,” Pratt said. When many food pantries closed during COVID-19, Bienvenidos stayed open, shifting operations outdoors and maintaining a “choice pantry” model that allows families to select the food they actually need.

“Giving people a box of random food can be wasteful,” Pratt said. “Choice preserves dignity and reduces waste.”

That same flexibility proved critical when nearly 50,000 migrants arrived in Denver over the past few years. Located within a mile of the city’s largest migrant shelters, Bienvenidos became a natural destination for families who had traveled thousands of miles and often didn’t know where they were.

“The recent migrant situation had a major impact,” Pratt said, “especially because we’re located within a mile of the city’s two largest migrant shelters.”

Behind the scenes, the organization doubled food distribution, expanded hours and recruited Spanish-speaking volunteers to meet the surge in need. One of those volunteers is Peter Simonson, a longtime North Denver resident who began volunteering in fall 2023. 

“I’d lived in the neighborhood for a long time and had known about Bienvenidos,” Simonson said. “After I retired, I went down and talked to Greg and asked how I could help. I started checking people in on the sidewalk, and I’ve been there ever since.”

For Simonson, what sets Bienvenidos apart is its deeply rooted commitment to staying true to serving the Denver community. “It’s a real community atmosphere,” he said. “I know a lot of the clients by name, and they know me. We talk and catch up. That starts with Greg and the staff and spreads out to the volunteers.”

Bienvenidos is a community hub that relies on local support. Most of its funding, volunteers and board members come from North Denver. The food bank also partners with several organizations across the state. Those include schools, churches, small businesses and bigger organizations like Food Bank of the Rockies, allowing all these partnerships to be unified under one mission of making sure everyone has access to food. 

“We are neighbors, helping our neighbors, and for us, that’s not just words,” Pratt said. “It’s really true.” 

As Bienvenidos marks its 50th anniversary this year, the organization is focused less on celebration and more on its longevity. Long-term goals include purchasing a permanent building and growing a Blueprints for the Future Fund, a quasi-endowment designed to ensure emergency food assistance remains available in North Denver for years to come.

“We wish food pantries weren’t necessary,” Pratt said. “But as long as emergencies exist, we want to make sure this community has a place to turn.”

For Simonson, the organization’s mission remains deeply personal. “Thursday mornings are the highlight of my week,” he said. “It’s a privilege to be out there — supporting neighbors and being human together.”