#ChefsForColorado: Thousands of restaurant meals served to families impacted by wildfire
The widespread devastation from the Marshall Fire in Colorado was a result of the combination of high winds and dry conditions. More than 6,000 acres were burned and over 1,000 homes destroyed before a snow event extinguished the flames. WCK’s Relief Team arrived in Colorado within hours of the fire, providing meals to emergency crews and first responders.
When our team arrived in Boulder to see how we could best support, we saw the community – and local restaurants – already doing so much to help neighbors in need. Instead of establishing our own kitchen, we determined the best way to support impacted families was to join up with other local organizations and businesses in the area. Partnering with Conscious Alliance, Northwest Chamber Alliance, and the Downtown Boulder Partnership, WCK supported Restaurants Revive, a group of over 70 Boulder and Denver area restaurants offering free hot meals to families affected by the fire.
In addition to offering walk-in meals, we also helped provide direct-to-family meals for people displaced unable to access transportation to restaurants.
In Boulder, Chef Hosea at Blackbelly Restaurant temporarily shut down his restaurant to convert his outdoor seating area into a donation and distribution center offering hot meals, clothes, and other essential items. Both refrigerated, ready-to-reheat plates and hot meals were available for pick-up. Pictured here is a delicious smoked salmon salad with roasted Brussels sprouts and fresh greens.
WCK friend, FED Boulder set up a food truck and provided meals for residents in Louisville, a city severely impacted by the fire. FED aims to be a zero waste operation, sourcing all of their produce from local and regional farms that determines their weekly menu offerings.
After receiving a batch of mushrooms, they whipped up nourishing dinner plates of meat and mushroom medley, spaghetti squash pasta, winter greens and cabbage, roasted butternut squash, and heirloom tomato pasta sauce. Alongside cases of water and dry goods, these meals were delivered directly to families without the means to pick-up. A snowstorm could not stop volunteers from ensuring affected families had a hot meal!
Also on the direct-to-families menu was turkey pot pies, fresh greens salads, and assorted breakfast pastries from restaurant partner Moxie. The restaurant also held a “Free Store” event where folks who lost their homes could come get cold-weather and fundamental apparel, and hygiene basics.
Alongside the FED truck stationed outside Moxie, Kristine from Boulder Broth set up a bone broth station with all the fixings. Her son Canaan, 14, joined her to help serve the community where, in the midst of snowstorms and negative temperatures, a steaming cup of broth is the perfect, nourishing comfort food!
Many families have been left without a home and for those still standing, smoke damage means people will not be able to return for months until mitigation is complete. WCK is now closing out our efforts as communities shift to long-term recovery. We are grateful to have been able to provide families in Boulder County with hot meals while empowering local restaurants to cook for neighbors in need.
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