The History of BCFE
In 1994, with hunger steadily increasing in Las Animas, Reverend Daniel Link proposed the idea of a food assistance program within the city. His next-door neighbor, Pamela Chavez, agreed to assist him in this endeavor and together they recruited others to help their cause. On the 24th of November, 1994, they were granted non-profit status, which opened up many more avenues to fund their cause. They approached the County Commissioners and requested the use of the old railroad depot to house this new organization. The County agreed to let them use the old railroad depot to establish a food pantry. The Las Animas Food Endeavor was founded with a full Board of Directors.
About two years later, Rev. Dan Link accepted a post with the US Navy and acted as a ship’s chaplain. The Catholic Church took over the Las Animas Food Endeavor under Mr. and Mrs. Steve LePage.In 1996, under the LePages' guidance, Mr. Ken Carlson took up the program and created a new set of goals for it, creating a new board of directors, and set out once again, hoping to increase membership and to increase funding.The Catholic Church decided that it would no longer host the program, and considered handing it over to social services.When this failed, a new group of people took it over.
In 1998, the Ministerial Alliance became host to the Las Animas Food Endeavor, guided by Mr. Peter Vanderveen. The food pantry was then housed in the old ambulance barn. By 2000, the Board of Directors was changing and a new chairperson, Mrs. Misty Ricken, took over. Around 2003, another chairperson was elected, Mr. Peter Wybenga. Under his leadership, the Las Animas Food Endeavor seemed to lose momentum and the energy to fulfill events such as the annual food baskets at Thanksgiving and Christmas began to fall short, funds depleted and the program finally went into dissolution.
By December of 2004, Mrs. Pam Chavez regained momentum and created the Bent County Food Endeavor after the Director of the Bent County Nursing Service (BCNS), Carina Estrada, took on the task of reviving the Christmas Holiday Food Drive. It was Mrs. Chavez who approached several community people and with their help, developed a proposal to open the Bent County Food Endeavor. The Board of Directors of the BCNS unanimously voted to oversee the new food pantry in an advisory capacity. With this greater range of people to assist, the program gained more funding and more volunteers. As previously stated, the program kicked off with the Holiday Food Drive, coordinated by Julie Brown, a BCNS employee, which assisted 204 households that year in the county. It was a great success. Events such as the 2005 Chili Cook-off proved to be another great success.
In January of 2005, the first Chairperson, Mr. Jim Frederick, was elected. The Las Animas/Bent County Community Center invited the BCFE to be housed in one room at the center for the purpose of distributing emergency food to the residents of Bent County. Under his leadership, a grant proposal was submitted to FEMA to provide funding for food and some equipment such as shelving for the food pantry. Mr. Frederick led the Board of Directors, consisting of Mrs. Clara Witucki (Treasurer), Shirley Martinez (Historian), Joann Martinez, Pam Gilbert (Vice Chairman/Secretary), Julie Brown (Reserve BCNS Representative), Sonia Frederick (Senior Inc. Supervisor), Pam Chavez (Primary BCNS Representative) and Joe Chavez (Ex-officio member). In May, 2005, Jim Frederick resigned and Pam Gilbert took his place to complete his term and the makeup of the Board remained the same.
By December of 2005, there were more changes to the Board. Bob Clark was elected to the Board and became the Chairperson. Clara Witucki was Vice Chairperson, Julie Brown became the Treasurer, and Pam Chavez was elected Secretary. Matthew Chavez was elected and became the new Historian. It was also at this time that the BCNS Board of Directors voted to release the BCFE giving its greatest confidence that it was time to become its own entity, giving greater liberty to act on its own behalf, creating a strong persona throughout the community.
In 2007, under Mr. Clark’s management, greater endeavors were planned and implemented as Ms. Brown, who was the treasurer at the time, resigned from the board. This left a gap which was quickly taken up by Pam Chavez who became the Secretary/Treasurer and an invitation to Mrs. Linda Lightcap was extended through a unanimous vote of the Board. Before she left, Ms. Brown nominated Matthew Chavez for the new position of Chief Executive, which had been created by the Board early in January. By February, Ms. Brown actually suggested the new position be created to lead the Bent County Food Endeavor. With Matthew recently graduated from the University of Northern Colorado, with a degree in English, it seemed the best solution for the small Board.
Mr. Chavez, had served as a volunteer from the time that Jim Frederick was chairperson, being elected to the board as Historian, his response to the Board was returned with enthusiasm. The board voted to hire Mr. Chavez at its February, 2008 meeting, with the title of Chief Executive, pro tem.
Mr. Chavez has been instrumental in creating a way to fund the position and its job description. On June, 1, 2008, Mr. Matthew A. Chavez officially became the first Chief Executive of the Bent County Food Endeavor. Within the first month, a new website, http://www.bentcountyfoodendeavor.org, was created and published to the internet, a new Dell computer was donated, and negotiation was in place to purchase a new building to house the food pantry. Also, a new program, “Feeding the Need”, was implemented to help fund the cause online.
By the end of 2008, two new members joined the Board, Andrew Huffman and Elizabeth Ybarra. We also welcomed back Clara Witucki as a regular member. We also celebrated our Fifth Annual Holiday Food Drive, serving 118 households. From the generousity of the community, 3,500 pounds of food and $1,800 were donated to the Food Endeavor. 118 households were given vouchers, 325 individuals were fed; with 206 of those seventeen years and younger, and 119 who were eighteen and older.
The Bent County Food Endeavor, formerly known at the Las Animas Food Endeavor, has been through many changes. With its founder, Rev. Daniel Link, one thing has been constant. There has been an undying will to help those in most need of assistance. With the current Chief Executive, this cause has never wavered from sight, only amended. It is not surprising that as we continue to serve the residents of Bent County, the largest number of our clients is families who work. Together, we can feed the need.