More Than a Food Pantry: SECOR’s Community Resources Help Families Thrive
When people search for a food pantry near me, they're often looking for groceries to get through a difficult week. But for many families, hunger is only one symptom of a larger challenge.
At SECOR Cares, we believe lasting change happens when people have access to resources to build self-sufficiency. And while we’re known for our free food market, we provide much more than food assistance.
Through partnerships with local organizations and with the support of our donors, we offer a variety of free community services that address the underlying challenges many families face.
Here’s how we are helping our neighbors in Douglas County, Elbert County, and Arapahoe County, in ways beyond groceries.
Nutrition Education That Promotes Long-Term Health
Receiving healthy groceries is only the first step. Knowing how to prepare nutritious meals on a limited budget can improve physical health and financial well-being.
Our volunteer nutritionist provides guidance to guests on topics such as:
Creating balanced meals
Ideas for using pantry staples in nutritious ways
Recipe suggestions
Portion sizes and food groups
Teaching Skills That Build Confidence
Financial hardship can happen unexpectedly. Rising housing costs, medical bills, job changes, and inflation have placed additional pressure on many suburban families.
Through a partnership with Wings Credit Union, we offer financial literacy education designed to help individuals gain confidence with money management. These classes help families develop practical skills that support self-sufficiency.
Topics have included money mapping and scam awareness.
We also partner with AdventHealth for classes on how to avoid falls that cause serious injuries to senior citizens, as well as a bike helmet safety course with AdventHealth and South Metro Fire Rescue.
Providing Much-Needed Hygiene Items
Did you know that SNAP benefits don’t cover hygiene items? That means products such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, toilet paper, diapers, feminine hygiene products, and laundry detergent must all be purchased with a family's own limited income.
For households already struggling to afford groceries, rent, utilities, and transportation, these everyday necessities often become impossible choices. Families may stretch products longer than recommended, go without them entirely, or sacrifice food and other essentials to afford basic hygiene items.
The shelves in our free food market include many of these items! Diapers especially are sought after by our guests. If you’re looking for items to donate to us, please consider diapers and other personal hygiene products.
Digital Literacy for Today's Connected World
Many essential services now require digital skills, from applying for jobs to accessing healthcare and communicating with schools.
SECOR Cares offers digital literacy classes that help community members become more comfortable using computers, smartphones, email, and online resources.
In 2025, more than 50 guests completed our digital literacy course and received a free refurbished laptop.
Digital literacy is about opportunity – one guest who completed the course used his laptop to apply for a better job at the airport, and he got it! Another guest is now able to have video calls with his grandchildren in Europe.
Free Legal Guidance Through Christian Legal Society
Legal questions can quickly become overwhelming, especially during periods of financial stress.
Through our partnership with the Christian Legal Society, eligible guests can do a free 30-minute phone consultation with the Christian Legal Society. This legal clinic happens on the second Friday of each month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
These consultations help guests better understand their rights and evaluate their options.
ESL Classes That Create Opportunity
Learning English opens doors to employment, education, healthcare, and stronger community connections.
SECOR Cares offers ESL classes that help participants strengthen their communication skills while increasing confidence in everyday situations. Whether speaking with a child's teacher, interviewing for a job, or visiting the doctor, improved language skills create greater independence and opportunity.
Helping Families Keep Their Pets
Pets provide comfort, companionship, and emotional support, but feeding them can become difficult during financial hardship.
Through our partnership with Colorado Pet Pantry, SECOR Cares provides pet food assistance so families don't have to choose between feeding themselves and caring for their beloved animals. This program helps keep pets in loving homes while easing one more burden for struggling households.
The Colorado Pet Pantry visits our warehouse once a month to distribute cat and dog food. And we partner with The Pet Cross Mobile Pet Clinic several times a year to bring free pet services to our guests.
Brightening the Holidays and Back-to-School Season
Our Christmas Outreach changed to be a holiday market in 2024. Families apply and give gift suggestions. Donors are asked to purchase gifts printed on tags placed on our partners’ Christmas trees, which are used to stock the market. Parents then schedule a time to shop at the Christmas market in early December!
Last year, 358 families and 865 children benefitedbenefitted from our Christmas Market!
And our outreach isn’t limited to Christmas. Back-to-school season is a time of stress for many families who can’t afford new backpacks and expensive school supplies for their children.
Through donations and partnerships, SECOR is able to provide backpacks to the children of qualified SECOR guests, lessening the financial pressure of what should be an exciting time for families!
Fighting Suburban Poverty by Aiding Self-Sufficiency
Poverty doesn't always look the way people expect. In suburban communities throughout Douglas, Elbert, and Arapahoe counties, many families quietly struggle with rising costs, unexpected emergencies, and difficult financial decisions.
That's why SECOR Cares offers more than a traditional food pantry. We provide a network of resources designed to address immediate needs while helping families build stronger futures through education, guidance, and compassionate support.
Please consider a donation to help your neighbors move toward self-sufficiency.