About Us

The first food bank in the United States is formed as a grocery rescue program. It later becomes Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief network.

Bienvenidos Food Bank begins at the St. Patrick’s Action Center on Pecos Street under the leadership of Ellen L. Torres and Carrol Duran.

The St. Patrick’s Food Pantry becomes one of the first food pantries in the Denver area, predating Food Bank of the Rockies (1978) and operating alongside early programs such as Community Ministries (1967), Twin Parish Pantry (1974) and Metro Caring (1975).

Early services focus on holiday food baskets and home delivery for seniors and people with disabilities.

Ellen Torres launches the “Visitants” program to deliver food and check on homebound seniors, a program that continues today.

Before formal food rescue systems existed, Ellen and volunteers recovered food directly from grocery store dumpsters to ensure families had food.

Ellen L. Torres receives the 9News “9 Who Care” Award for her dedication to community service.

On May 12^th, the Northwest Family Assistance Center (NWFAC) is incorporated and opens at 3245 W. 38th Avenue. It is created by a coalition of Protestant churches serving North Denver families.

St. Patrick’s Action Center closes in May and Bienvenidos operates out of multiple temporary locations, including Ashland Recreation Center, Casa Loma Senior Housing, and Valdez Elementary School, continuing holiday baskets and home delivery services.

In April, Northwest Family Assistance Center closes its doors. Later that year, volunteers from Bienvenidos meet and decide to assume NWFAC’s incorporation, ensuring services continue as the organizations merge.

Key volunteers in the merger include Donna Lucero, Lucia Guzman, Craig Hart, Bob Patterson, Mary Robers, and Jerri Good.

Today we continue to operate as Northwest Family Assistance Center, DBA: Bienvenidos Food Bank.

In July, Bienvenidos moves into Our Merciful Savior Episcopal Church at 32nd Avenue and Wyandot Street.

Partners with the 32nd Avenue Jubilee Center to provide wraparound services including health screenings, rent and energy assistance, and eye care.

Ellen L. Torres passes away on October 15, having served as volunteer food bank coordinator from 1976 until her death.

Ellen’s daughter Martina Torres, along with community leaders, Jackie and Bruce Meyer, Bobbi Duran, Donna Lucero, and others step forward to lead the organization.

The Food pantry is honorarily renamed Ellen L. Torres Bienvenidos Food Bank, and the City Council passes a resolution honoring her life and work.

Bienvenidos begins a long-standing partnership with St. Thomas More Parish, whose volunteers support weekly grocery rescue pick-ups and annual food drives.

STM youth group launches the annual “Super Bowl of Giving,” donating thousands of pounds of food each year to Bienvenidos. The school donates holiday food and fresh produce each Christmas.

During the housing crisis and recession, Bienvenidos sees a sharp increase in demand, an early indicator of economic instability long before media reports and the high-profile collapse of financial institutions.

Volunteer Nellie Apodaca receives the 9News “9 Who Care” Award.

Chrysler Financial donates Sprinter van, increasing food donation and distribution capacity. Board member Vince Rousseu.

Bienvenidos helps to launch the Colorado Pet Pantry as its first partner agency. CPP grows into a statewide nonprofit serving thousands of pets and families.

Having outgrown the Wyandot location, Bienvenidos moves to its current home off the corner of 38th Avenue and Pecos Street, symbolically uniting the roots at St. Patrick’s on Pecos and the former NWFAC location on 38^th Ave.

Improvements are made to better serve clients, including accessible front steps and a front planter garden.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bienvenidos is designated an essential service and remains open without interruption.

The pantry transitions to an outdoor farmers market–style, choice model to maintain dignity and safety while social distancing.

Home delivery services are expanded, support for other food programs increases, and outreach to low-income communities grows.

The Ellen L. Torres Fund is established to provide long-term financial support for Bienvenidos programs serving North Denver families.

With the arrival of over 45,000 migrants to the Denver area, Bienvenidos has become one of the most impacted food pantries in the region.

Located near major shelters and encampments, the pantry experiences unprecedented demand and doubles food distribution and volunteer capacity to respond.

During the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, Bienvenidos serves the highest number of people in its history as families lose access to SNAP benefits.

Annual holiday celebrations are hosted with community partners, providing gifts and household essentials to families.

Thanksgiving food baskets distributed across North Denver, at one point serving every North Denver school.

The Visitants home delivery program continues to serve homebound neighbors.

Today, Bienvenidos Food Bank rents its current space and is working toward purchasing a permanent home to ensure long-term food access for North Denver families.

The Blueprint for the Future Fund has been established to support the purchase of a building and essential equipment.

This investment will ensure that Bienvenidos can continue serving the community— no matter the crisis.