Story and photos credit of the Centennial Citizen
Holly Creek Residents Identify Community Need
At a west Centennial senior-living location, food isn’t one of the worries on residents’ minds.
But a group of women at the Holly Creek Retirement Community, during a weekly Zoom discussion, began to talk about others’ need for food in the surrounding community.
Recognizing Food Insecurity During the Pandemic
“We don’t worry about feeding our children, having enough to eat,” said Vee Henderson, a Holly Creek resident. “We don’t worry about food stamps and what they’ll buy — we all just live our lives, go to the store and buy whatever we want, but not everyone can do that. And so many people have lost their jobs during the pandemic, and it’s tough out there.”
Don Folsom, an 80-year-old resident of Holly Creek Retirement Community, helps load boxes in the Holly Creek lobby at the end of a food drive put on by residents.
Organizing a Successful Community Food Drive
So Henderson and other women at Holly Creek put on a food drive to benefit South Fellowship Food Bank, which serves Englewood, Littleton, Highlands Ranch and Centennial.
The effort donated more than 1,000 items to the food bank, said Erin Young, director of the food bank, who was “overwhelmed by their generosity.”
“I feel like quite often, seniors can be invisible in our society, and I feel like that’s something our food bank clients also experience,” said Young, a 42-year-old Highlands Ranch resident.
Addressing Local Food Insecurity Beyond the Pandemic
Henderson’s concerns about food insecurity went beyond the economic strain of the pandemic. The expense of living in the Denver area in general weighed on her mind.
“We’re blessed to be a blessing, as they say,” Henderson said.
How to Support South Fellowship Food Bank
South Fellowship Church sits at 6560 S. Broadway, a short drive north of Arapahoe Road along the Littleton-Centennial border. The church’s food bank’s temporary service hours are 8-10:30 a.m. for new and returning clients, and a valid ID is required at each visit, according to the church’s website. It welcomes clients up to three Saturdays per month.
Erin Young, director of the South Fellowship Food Bank, left, and Vee Henderson, a Holly Creek Retirement Community resident, stand together during an April 15 pickup of donated food items at the retirement community in Centennial.
See more information about the food bank here.
About Christian Living Communities
Christian Living Communities is a Colorado-founded, not-for-profit senior living company that oversees 22 communities in six states. The three Denver metro-area locations of Clermont Park in Denver, and Someren Glen and Holly Creek in Centennial, offer services that include independent living, assisted living, memory care and nursing-home care.
