Once upon a time in Southern Colorado a magical town named Pagosa Springs offered its residents affordable housing, living wages, and it’s senior population was fed and well cared for.
Unfortunately, this is just a fairytale. The challenges regarding affordable housing and living wages have been explored in several past articles and many members of our senior population face food insecurity, particularly in Aspen Springs. Our county’s senior population has grown to 35% while funding has decreased.
Through the generous support of the Community United Methodist Church and private funding from Archuleta Seniors Inc. a rural outreach program was created to address this issue. A pilot program was launched in February 2026 to deliver seven commercial prepared frozen meals weekly to seniors in the Aspen Springs 1 and 2 areas.
The program was initially designed for 10 clients over a 12-week time frame. Due to overwhelming need and the receipt of a grant, the program has been extended to June 30. Over 15 clients are being served each week, and so far over 1,071 meals have been delivered.
Some might say, “But wait, we have food pantries to address these needs.” While this is true, and our community is incredibly generous, the needs of these seniors is not necessarily for ingredients, but for prepared meals that can be warmed up easily. This population faces mobility issues, impaired vision, and other medical challenges. The majority of the clients served are living alone.
Remember the last time you were feeling under the weather? You probably just heated up a can of soup or didn’t eat at all. Imagine if that was how you felt each day. This is the challenge these seniors face on a daily basis.
On May 5, Ricardo Martinez, Executive Director of Archuleta Seniors Inc., and Kim Rochester, a volunteer with the rural outreach program, presented three funding requests to the Archuleta County commissioners. These requests would continue the food program from July to December, 2026.
Option 1 ($10,000): Continues the current program for 15 seniors.
Option 2 ($23,000): Doubles capacity to 30 seniors and establishes a food hub for Aspen Springs 3-6.
Option 3 ($46,000): Serves 50 residents, including outreach for off-grid residents.
We need the community’s help to keep this momentum going. Here is how you can get involved:
Volunteer: We rely entirely on volunteers for driving and food preparation. Please contact Ricardo Martinez at 970-264-2167 to join us.
Donate: A $25 tax-deductible donation feeds a senior for an entire week. You can donate online at psseniors.org or in person at 451 Hot Springs Blvd (Mon–Fri, 8–4).
Seek Help: If you are a senior in need of meals, please call 970-264-2167.
Advocate: If you support this program, please contact the County Commission to express your support for our funding request. The commissioners can be reached at 970-264-8300, or by email at the addresses below:
District 1, Warren Brown: warren.brown@archuletacounty.gov
District 2, John Ranson: jranson@archuletacounty.gov
District 3, Veronica Medina: veronica.medina@archuletacounty.gov