Rest Is Radical

Boulder Food Rescue is trying on an annual seasonal pause.

A week where all staff takes time away from work, to create a protected and shared time for staff to rest. By taking a paid week to collectively rest, we celebrate our staff beyond their daily work accomplishments. Additionally, our ability to rest demonstrates our trust in the leadership of Boulder communities to continue the work in our absence.

Our offices will be closed from July 7-13th and will resume typical work hours starting July 14th.

In times of crisis, we need to move deliberately, prioritizing care, support, and well-being. While BFR’s programming works on a quick, just-in-time model, as an organization, we maintain a long-term view of the work that we do. Many of our social support systems are intended to be utilized on a short-term time scale, and as such, they are not set up to foster long-term well-being and stability. Support is often viewed as a sprint when, in actuality, it is a marathon. We can easily see this when we look at the Nonprofit industry pre and post-COVID. According to the National Council of Nonprofits, over half of nonprofits reported more position vacancies in 2023 than in 2019, citing burnout and overwork as the reasons for half of all employees leaving their positions.

Boulder Food Rescue recognizes that the work that we do is on a long-time scale. Moving slowly and deliberately ensures that every step the organization takes is forward, and working toward our vision of a more just and less wasteful food system. Providing space for each other to heal/be well/recenter is one of the most effective ways that our organization can ensure the long-term effectiveness of our programming.

We appreciate your support and the continued leadership of No Cost Grocery Programs, volunteers, food donors, Food Rescue Alliance members, Rootable co-owners, and the community.

BFR believes that rest is essential to our communities and our own liberation. The organizational pause is meant to further align our organization with our values of justice, connection, and community leadership. 

If you are directly involved with BFR’s food redistribution program as a volunteer, food donor, or GPC, please check your email regularly for updates and resources that BFR staff members have been emailing out to you. 

If you are attempting to contact Rootable or the Food Rescue Alliance, these programs will only respond to emails sent/received after the 14th