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Journey to 70,000 Meals

March 3, 2018 by focoblog

FoCo Cafe opened on Thanksgiving Day in 2014. But that is not where the journey began. The co-founders, Jeff and Kathleen Baumgardner, began working to open the Cafe in 2012.

FoCo Cafe was incorporated in the State of Colorado on June 10, 2012. The first donation was an ice machine in that same month. People continued to donate kitchen equipment and within months their garage was full of supplies. It took 2 1/2 years from concept to opening the doors of the Cafe, but through community support, hard work and a few miracles, the Cafe opened with no debt.

Here is a basic timeline of FoCo Cafe’s journey to 70,000 meals:

  • June 10, 2012 – Feeding Our Community Ourselves, Inc. is incorporated in Colorado
  • July 26, 2012 – Cafe received its first grant from the Food Chain Workers Alliance
  • November 2, 2012 – First pop up event – Face of the Food Chain Photo Exhibit
  • July 21, 2013 – FoCo Cafe’s
  • Throughout 2013 – The search is on for FoCo Cafe’s location
  • August 6, 2014 – Lease is signed for 225 Maple Street and deconstruction begins
  • November 27, 2014 –FoCo Cafe Opens on Thanksgiving 2014
  • June 8, 2015 – Ribbon cutting and grand opening of the Cafe box gardens
  • June 15, 2015 – Cafe offers series of creativity classes
  • February 15, 2016 – The Giving Tree is launched
  • June 1, 2016 – Pilot of Kids Feeding Kids Summer Family Breakfast Program kicks off
  • August 12, 2016 – FoCo Freedge is launched
  • September 30, 2016 – FoCo Cafe presents at TedX PeachTree
  • November 18, 2016 – Release of FoCo Cafe Garden and Recipe Book
  • November 23, 2016 – Kindness Cupboard opens at FoCo Cafe
  • November 27, 2016 (Thanksgiving) – Most community members served in one day at 144
  • 50,000th meal served – March 7, 2016
  • April 17, 2018 – FoCo Cafe’s Little Outdoor Library was introduced
  • May 31, 2017- kick off our our second year of the Kids Feeding Kids Summer Family Breakfast Program
  • July 23, 2017- FoCo Cafe’s 5th annual Bike-In Music Festival @ Shire CSA
  • July 31, 2017 – Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and introduction of the FoCo Cafe Hydration Station.
  • August 1, 2017 – Co-founders Jeff and Kathleen Baumgardner passed on the Cafe to new leadership
  • November 23, 2017 – Thanksgiving Day 2017- FoCo Cafe’s Third Anniversary
  • December 5, 2017 – FoCo Cafe’s 5th annual Party with A Purpose at Odell’s Brewing Co.
  • December 14, 2017 – FoCo Cafe introduces Doug Schwartz, to the FoCo Cafe team as Cafe Chef.
  • December 22, 2017 – FoCo Cafe’s special holiday meal- serving 135 meals in 3 hours
  • February 1, 2018 – FoCo Cafe introduces new volunteer opportunities to help with serving lunch and move closer to long term sustainability.
  • February 17, 2018 – FoCo Cafe’s new Giving Tree is introduced offering more space but the same heart-warming concept.
  • March 5, 2018 – 70,000th meal served at FoCo Cafe!

There is so much more to come, We can’t wait to celebrate many more meals with the community!

Filed Under: Events

Party with a Purpose – December 5, 2017

November 18, 2017 by focotech


Please join FoCo Cafe to celebrate Colorado Gives Day, an annual day to “Give Where You Live” and a family-friendly celebration of Colorado nonprofits across the state.  All proceeds will be used to make FoCo Cafe rent and utilities payments in 2018 so that donations in exchange for meals can go back into the community.

Schedule your gift today at: https://www.coloradogives.org/NoCoGives/FoCoCafe/overview

Also on December 5th, Join us for our Party with a Purpose at Odell’s Brewery!

FREE to you with your Colorado Gives Day receipt or $10 or more donation at the door:

  • One beer token (21 and over)
  • Tasty food
  • Live music
  • Nonalcoholic beverages
  • Meet others who support FoCo Cafe
  • Participate in an awesome silent auction with donated items and gift cards from across Fort Collins!
  • Items range from spa items and salon-haircuts, team sport registrations, to local restaurant gift cards!

(Additional beer tokens may be purchased at the event)

Show your CO Gives Day donation receipt for free entry or donate $10 or more each at the door. Capacity for this event is 200 people.Donate and join this party with a purpose! All proceeds will be used to make FoCo Cafe rent and utilities payments in 2018!

https://www.coloradogives.org/NoCoGives/FoCoCafe/overview

Filed Under: Blog, Events

FoCo Cafe’s 2017 Bike-In Music Festival Sponsorship Information

June 8, 2017 by focoblog

Click here to see event information.

Platinum Sponsorship: $2,500 or more

Logo on event posters and flyers
Logo and sponsorship acknowledgment on table tents at Cafe
Press Release with sponsorship mention
Banner on stage at event
Announcement at event
Sponsorship announcement on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, e-newsletter
Logo on event website
Logo on all event promotional emails
Table space at event, if desired
After-event Facebook photo album with sponsorship acknowledgment
FoCo Cafe Instagram event image with thanks to sponsor
Poster uploaded to Pinterest

Gold Sponsorship: $1,500 or more

Logo on event posters and flyers
Press Release with sponsorship mention
Banner on fence at event
Announcement at event
Sponsorship announcement on FoCo Cafe’s Facebook, Twitter, e-newsletter
Logo on event website
Table space at event, if desired
After-event Facebook photo album with sponsorship acknowledgment
FoCo Cafe Instagram event image with thanks to sponsor
Poster uploaded to Pinterest

Silver Sponsorship Level: $750

Logo on event posters and flyers
Press Release with sponsorship mention
Banner on fence at event
Announcements on FoCo Cafe’s Facebook, Twitter, e-newsletter
Poster uploaded to Pinterest

Bronze Sponsorship Level: $500

Announcements on FoCo Cafe’s Facebook, Twitter, e-newsletter
Banner on fence at event
Press Release with sponsorship mention

Filed Under: Blog, Events

Lights, Camera, Take Action Film Festival

March 29, 2017 by focoblog

Friday, May 5, 2017
First film begins at 6:00 pm
Behavioral Sciences Building A101, Colorado State University
Long-format Documentary: Starfish Throwers

This film festival will showcase one long-format documentary while also highlighting local short films and photographs about food insecurity and poverty in the Fort Collins community. Sponsored by the FoCo Cafe, the festival is intended to bring together community members and the network of food insecurity organizations that tackle issues in the Fort Collins community. Additionally, the festival aims to raise awareness about food insecurity, food justice, poverty, homelessness, food equality, access to healthy eating, etc. There will be a panel discussion following the showing of the films featuring representatives from local hunger and poverty prevention organizations.

A local short film/photo from each of four categories will be chosen to be shown at the film festival event on May 5th. Several submissions to the photography category will also be printed for the event.

SHORT FILM ENTRY DATES & DEADLINES:

Entry Opening Date: March 10, 2017

Entry Deadline: Submission Deadline: April 23, 2017

Notification Date: May 5th, 2017

Event Date: May 5th, 2017

CONTEST CATEGORIES

  • Youth: Grades 5-12, no fee to submit, Film/Video, under 8 minutes, all projects may be submitted, Project Origin: Fort Collins,
  • College: Students currently enrolled in college at Front Range Community College, CSU, CU, and UNC, No fee to submit, Film/Video, under 8 minutes, only student projects may be submitted, Project Origin: Colorado
  • Community: Any members of the Fort Collins, or larger Northern Colorado community passionate about film or food insecurity, no fee to submit, Film/Video, under 8 minutes, all projects may be submitted, Project Origin: Colorado
  • Photography: Artists of any age are welcome in this category. Simply capture these issues in a photograph of a high resolution JPEG and submit, Project Origin: Fort Collins

Awards & Prizes: Awards and prizes from local businesses will be given to the winners of each category. The winner of the photography category will have their photo framed. Prize details will be available at a later date.

Rules & Terms: There are four categories of submission:

  • YOUTH
  • COLLEGE
  • COMMUNITY
  • PHOTOGRAPHY

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

  • Address the issue of food insecurity in our community. This includes (but is not limited to) the people it impacts, hunger, nutrition, poverty, homelessness, food equality, healthy eating, etc.
  • Be 3-8 minutes long
  • Be an original work
  • Be available for showing and use by the FoCo Cafe and Swipe Out Hunger?
  • Photo entries must be high resolution, JPEG files
  • Be submitted by April 23 at 11:59 pm
  • Submit your entry by clicking on the FilmFreeway button

 

CONTACT & VENUE INFORMATION:

Sponsor Website: http://fococafe.org/

Email: info@fococafe.org

Phone: 309-368-1659

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/takeactionfilmfest/

Event Venue: Behavioral Sciences Building A101, Colorado State University

 

Festival Organizers:

  • Kathleen Baumgardner, FoCo Cafe Executive Director
  • Mallory Andrews, Volunteer Coordinator
  • Abby Jordan, Festival Organizer
  • Lindsay Paricio, Festival Organizer
  • Haley Chatwin, Festival Organizer

BECOME A FILM FESTIVAL SPONSOR

Please help bring this important event to Fort Collins. You, your company, or your organization are welcome to join us in sponsoring this event! Get sponsorship info here.

Filed Under: Events

Colorado Gives Day – December 8, 2015

December 2, 2015 by focoblog

COGivesPartyTable Sign

Click the Colorado Gives button to donate:
DonorNowButtonLRG

Click button below for more details about the party:
Party Information

Filed Under: Events

Plant it Forward: FoCo Cafe Outdoor Garden Project

March 29, 2015 by focoblog

CAFE_planters.BEperspective031115

Blueprint Earth Collective, a local landscape design company, and Urban/Rural Design, a local architectural design firm, graciously donated their time and talent to design an outdoor space for FoCo Cafe that will provide a pleasant environment in which to dine and also provide growing space for the cafe.  A volunteer group from Leadership Fort Collins has taken on the task of making the design a reality.  As FoCo Cafe is truly a community restaurant, the Plant it Forward campaign is a community project.  We need your help and there are multiple ways to support the project.

Adopt a Box

The greatest way for individuals or groups to support this project is to “Adopt a Box” by purchasing the supplies and building a planter box from the landscape design.  There are six different sizes of planter boxes totaling 23 boxes needed to complete the design.  The cost of building a planter box ranges from $100 for a small box to several hundred for the largest boxes in the plan and takes just a few hours to build.  Local Cedar Supply Lumber Company is generously offering a discount to all groups building planter boxes for this project. Adopting a planter box is a great opportunity to support team bonding, promote volunteerism within your organization and give back to our wonderful community, in addition to exposing your organization to approximately 1500 diners that visit each month.  For more information or to sign up as an Adopt a Box sponsor, please contact Paul Christenson at pchristenson@turningpnt.org or (970) 567-0945.

Support a Box

The second way groups or individuals can support the project is to “Support a Box” by making monetary donations.  The funds will be used to purchase supplies to build the planter boxes.  There is a group of volunteer builders willing to build boxes with supplies purchased through donations.  The goal is to raise $4,000 which will support getting the planters built, filling them with soil and planting the herbs, flowers, fruits and vegetables.  All donated funds will be directly used for supplies for this project, but in the case of a surplus, remaining funds will be used for general operating expenses for FoCo Cafe.  Please choose an amount below that works for you, your family or your organization:

$200 – Large Planter Box Sponsor – This will provide enough materials for the volunteer builders to construct one of the larger planter boxes.  You or your group will receive recognition on a plaque at FoCo Cafe as supporters of the “Plant it Forward” project.

$100 – Small Planter Box Sponsor – This will provide enough materials for the volunteer builders to construct one of the smaller planter boxes.  You or your group will receive recognition on a plaque at FoCo Cafe as supporters of the “Plant it Forward” project.

$50 – “Plant it Forward” Supporter – This will help provide overall funds for the project.  You or your group will receive recognition on a plaque at FoCo Cafe as supporters of the “Plant it Forward” project.

Choose your own amount – All donations help provide overall funds for the project.  You or your group will receive recognition on a plaque at FoCo Cafe as supporters of the “Plant it Forward” project.

Thank you for Planting it Forward!  With your help, we can feed our community ourselves! For more information, contact Paul Christenson at pchristenson@turningpnt.org or (970) 567-0945.

Regards,
Leadership Fort Collins Team


Plant it Forward Donation Form

Filed Under: Blog, Events

The FoCo Cafe is opening!

November 26, 2014 by focoblog

Join Us on Thanksgiving
We just received our certificate of occupancy! There are two Thanksgiving Day options for you:

  • Drop in to take a quick tour from 11:00 – 1:00 or 2:00 – 4:00. We’ll have coffee brewing and a treat.
  • At 1:00 we’re serving lunch by reservation only on a donation basis. Menu: pumpkin-apple soup, salad, fresh baked rolls, almond cake, coffee, and tea. We ask one thing: bring a guest who might not otherwise be able to enjoy a Thanksgiving community meal. Perhaps this is a student who was unable to travel home, an elderly neighbor, someone new to our community, etc. Call 309-368-1659 for reservations.

Join Us During our “Soft Opening”
We’re have two weeks of practice planned, by reservation only on a donation basis! Come help us figure test systems and recipes. Reserve space for one person or for a group as large as 25 by phoning 309-368-1659. Or sign up to volunteer.

  • Week One – reservations available at 11:30 and 12:45 – Saturday 11/29, Monday 12/1, Tuesday 12/2, Wednesday 12/3, Thursday 12/4, Friday 12/5, Saturday 12/6
  • Week Two – reservations available for 11:00, 12:00, 1:00 – Monday 12/8, Tuesday 12/9, Wednesday 12/10, Thursday 12/11, Friday 12/12, Saturday 12/13

Join us at our Grand Opening on Monday, December 15
We’ll be open from 11:00-2:00 pm. We’d love to see you stop in for lunch or to volunteer. Sign up to volunteer.

If you are unable to celebrate with us, but would like to help, please consider a gift to the FoCo Cafe to help with operating costs.

We want to thank our incredible community – FoCo Cafe was truly built by many for ALL!

Filed Under: Blog, Events

2014 Pink Tie Affair

November 12, 2014 by focoblog

NoCo Rugby and FoCo Cafe
are tackling hunger together!

FlamingoTie

Join us for a semi-formal (pink tie recommended) night of great company with the NoCo Rugby Flamingos for a great cause! Proceeds will benefit FoCo Cafe and be used to purchase ingredients to serve the community healthy meals during the upcoming holidays.

$10 admission at the door includes dinner and two wines, wells, or drafts. Doors open at 6:00, auction commence about 8:00, so come early for dinner, and stay to bid on the fabulous selection of donated items just in time for the holidays!

Where: WASHINGTON’S SPORTS BAR AND GRILL in Fort Collins, Colorado
Date: Saturday, December 6
Time: 6:00pm

Local business who have kindly made donations already:
*Academy Mortgage
*Advanced Direct Marketing
*Barcelona Salon
*Cactus Grille
*East Moon Asian Bistro
*Jax Fish House
*Krash Electronic Repairs
*Platinum One Real Estate
*NoCo Rugby
*PBR
*Rustic Oven
*The Kitchen
*U Realty
*Van Works
*Washington’s
*Xanadu Med Spa
*Zanzibar Spa
*Zquila
…And MANY, MANY MORE!!

Thank you to the NoCo Rugby Flamingos and Washington’s for making this event possible!

Filed Under: Events

A Colorado Gives Day Celebration

November 10, 2014 by focoblog

COGives-Day-event-poster2014

Come Wrap Up Colorado Gives Day With Us at a Celebration Party!

Make a gift through Colorado Gives Day to FoCo Cafe and bring your receipt to gain admission to the party:

Party with a Purpose
Tuesday, December 9
7:00-9:00 pm
Odell Brewing Company
800 E. Lincoln Avenue

FoCo Cafe and Trees, Water & People are hosting this party together with great music, beer and food.Join us for the celebration!

Donor Now Button LRG

Filed Under: Events

Malt Monster 5K Benefiting FoCo Cafe

September 7, 2014 by focoblog

MM-5K-flyer-web

Saturday, October 11
Registration: 10 a.m., Race start: 11 a.m.
Fort Collins Brewery

Walk, Run, Skip or Hop – Come as you are or dress up as your favorite Monster! The 5K will begin and end at FCB followed by a monstrous party!

*Custom Sport Pack & Pint Glass
*Beer Samples & Appetizers from Gravity 1020
*Costume Contest & Great Prizes
*Awards Party, Games & Activities
*Donation to FoCo Cafe

Cost: $29

Register online today – registrations will be capped at just 500 runners!

Join the Facebook event and share with your friends!

Want to volunteer for this event?

Yes, I want to volunteer

Description of Volunteer Assignments for the Event

If you already registered as a FoCo Cafe Volunteer, please click on button to access your VicNet and schedule for the Malt Monster 5K event:

VicNet (Volunteer Information Center)

Filed Under: Blog, Events

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Location and Hours

Mailing Address: PO Box 242, Fort Collins, CO 80522-0242

Street Address: 225 Maple Street, Fort Collins, CO 80521

Monday-Saturday 11am-2pm

FoCo Cafe is handicapped accessible

Closed Weekends and Federal Holidays except for the following:

  • Open on Thanksgiving Day

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FoCo Cafe (Feeding Our Community Ourselves, Inc.) is a Federal 501(c)3 nonprofit organization
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