Hunger doesn’t take a vacation.

That is what several food banks are saying as they work to raise awareness of their summertime needs.

With school out, “there are more people to be fed in the summertime,” said Shannon Coker, community relations director at Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado. “Food consumption increases and yet awareness of what we do decreases.”

According to Feeding America, a Chicago-based nonprofit with 200 member food banks including Care and Share, 58,330 children in Southern Colorado don’t know where or when their next meal will come.

But hunger affects people of all ages: 166,790 people — 15.3 percent — are food insecure in Southern Colorado.

Colorado Springs-based Silver Key, founded in 1971, has been feeling the summer crunch as it works to help its clients — citizens age 60 and older.

Silver Key’s food pantry dwindled in recent months, leading it to turn away a client who needed food.

“We’ve never had to turn anyone away for food. And last week we had to,” said Kathy Allen, resource development manager at Silver Key.

The agency gets some support from Care and Share, which serves as the managing agency for many Colorado food pantries. Most of Silver Key’s food, however, comes from community donations.

Silver Key serves about 500 senior citizens via its commodity supplemental food program. On the 8th of each month, citizens in need come and get their allotted month’s worth of food.

The agency also accepts pet food, “so seniors can keep their companions, too,” Allen said.

With supplies scarce, Silver Key put out a call seeking emergency donations and was pleased with the community response.

“I worked up a sweat bringing in food,” said Karen Bartlett, customer relationship specialist at Silver Key. “At Christmas and Thanksgiving time, everyone thinks of helping other people, but that need is year-round.”

Allen said 1,000 pounds had come in Wednesday, but the agency needs more to continue to serve its clients.

“Hunger doesn’t discriminate what season it is,” reminded Coker.

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Contact Nathan Vail: 636-0187

Silver Key received bags of groceries to help restock its pantry are an emergency plea to the community this week. Photo by NATHAN VAIL/The Gazette

Freshly re-stocked shelves at the Silver Key pantry won’t last long with increases needs, officials say. Photo by NATHAN VAIL/The Gazette