The organization serves about 930 households a week, and roughly half of those receiving help are children, Executive Director Dayna Scott said. Many clients once came for extra groceries; increasingly, she said, they rely on FISH for their full food needs.

Across the fiscal year that ended in September, the pantry distributed about 10% more food and served about 14% more people than in the previous year. In recent months, both measures have risen between 17% and 20%, Scott said.

The increase comes as food insecurity has also grown statewide. The Colorado Health Access Survey found that 17.8% of Coloradans could not afford all the food they needed, compared with 10.5% in 2025.

Scott said FISH is seeing more people who have never previously sought help. The pantry is planning to keep fresh and perishable staples—including milk, eggs, cheese, meat and produce—in stock alongside shelf-stable goods.

Housing costs are the main pressure pushing people to seek food assistance, Scott said. Some clients earning 60% or less of the area median income face a serious risk of eviction and spend as much as 75% of their monthly income on housing, she said. People often prioritize rent to keep a roof over their heads, leaving less for food, health care and other needs.

Scott also cited the loss of SNAP benefits and rising everyday expenses. Seniors on fixed incomes, people with disabilities and families with children are among those facing acute need, she said.

The pantry’s rising caseload reflects a growing squeeze on household budgets: when housing takes up most of a paycheck, food assistance can shift from supplemental help to a household’s primary source of groceries.