Editor’s Note: The following letter was submitted by Dan Williams, the current chairman of the Teller County Commissioners, regarding a statement he released at a recent public hearing regarding the success of the Teller County Cares Food Initiative. Donations for this program will still be accepted until early December. For more information, visit the county’s website or tellercounty.gov/tellerstrong
I am currently sitting on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Board but wanted to release a statement of gratitude to Teller County.
We have spent the better part of a month focused on the life, health and safety of our residents. The historic 43-day shutdown stretched systems, including our non-profits and other social safety programs to their limits. In addition to the 3,000 Teller County residents who lost SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits we also had hundreds of active duty and furloughed federal workers without a paycheck.
Recognizing our 5 foodbanks would be inundated with requests and also with donations the Teller County Board of County Commissioners working with our first responders, OEM and Sheriff took proactive steps to prevent the food crisis from becoming an emergency.
We provided overwatch and centralized control and food distribution that enabled our food pantries to not only remain stocked but to provide the right types of food at the right locations. We also received approximately 150K in donations from Teller County organizations and El Pomar specifically for this crisis along with Teller County funds which helped provide fresh beef, turkeys and additional support including freezers.
I want to thank the hundreds of Teller County residents who donated food items continuously and who participated in our two food drives to ensure that nobody in our county, including our children and our elderly, went hungry.
While we have always taken care of our own and are a resilient rural county, our residents and our non-profits went above and beyond any of our expectations and we are extremely proud and humbled by their support.
It was an honor to stand in the breach with each of you to help ensure that nobody in our county went hungry or was in need. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and I could not be prouder of our county and our communities.
Dan Williams
Teller County Commission Chairman
