D11 Just Opened a Food Pantry and Community Garden at a COS School

Colorado Springs School District 11 has launched a new food pantry and community garden at one of its schools, offering fresh produce, bread, and household food staples to families in the district. The timing is deliberate — heading into Thanksgiving and the holiday season, when food insecurity tends to be felt most acutely by families already managing tight budgets.

D11 serves approximately 24,000 students across Colorado Springs and surrounding communities. This pantry is one more way the district is working to support the whole family, not just the student sitting in the classroom.

Who Can Access It

The pantry is designed to serve D11 families in need. If your household could use food support heading into the holidays, reach out to your child's school or the D11 district office for information on how to access the pantry. D11 handles requests with discretion, and there's no judgment attached to using resources that the district built specifically for its community.

Contact D11 directly for current operating details — hours, access process, and location — as the pantry is newly launched and those logistics may still be evolving.

How to Get Involved

If your family is in a position to donate food or time, D11 is building something worth supporting. Food donations, volunteer help in the garden, and other forms of community involvement can make this resource more robust for the families who need it most.

The Thanksgiving season is a natural time for giving — and a school-based pantry in your own community is about as direct as it gets. Reach out to D11 or your local school to ask about donation and volunteer opportunities.

The Bigger Picture

Food insecurity affects a meaningful number of families in Colorado Springs, and school districts are increasingly stepping in to bridge gaps that extend beyond academic instruction. D11's pantry and garden join a broader set of community support programs the district has developed over the years — from meal programs to family resource centers.

Opening this resource ahead of Thanksgiving is a practical acknowledgment that the holiday season is a high-need time, and that families shouldn't have to choose between a holiday meal and other household necessities.

What's Next

If you need food support, contact D11 directly to find out how to access the pantry. If you want to help, the same call gets you there. This is a community resource — built by the district, sustained by the people around it. We'll share more details as D11 releases additional information about the pantry's hours and ongoing programs.