Feinstein ChallengeDuring the months of March and April, High Plains Helping Hands is participating in the Feinstein Challenge, started by Alan Shawn Feinstein 15 years ago. Feinstein allocates $1 million in prize money among nonprofit agencies that receive the most food items and raise the most money during the allotted period. ìThe Feinstein Foundation will count each food item or pound of food as $1,î said Rose Mizer, director of Helping Hands. ìThe agency that raises the most money gets the biggest share of the $1 million,î she said. ìWe could receive up to $35,000, but the minimum amount we’ll get is $250.îThis is HPHHís first year as a participant. Commodity supplemental food programAt the end of March, HPHH began signing up low-income seniors 60 years and over for its commodity supplemental food program, sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture. Colorado Springs Care and Share operates the program in the area and has offered to help HPHH start its own program to serve the county.ìThe program provides seniors with a box of nutritious food every month because they realize many seniors are on a fixed income and can’t afford the amount of food or types of nutritious food they need,î Mizer said. Seniors must apply once a year to receive the monthly food boxes.Mizer said she has heard good things about the program, which will be a permanent addition to HPHH.
