Interviews with purpose-driven leaders who are dedicated to helping others and making a positive impact in the world.
February 20, 2024
Lark Rambo | Coal Creek Meals on Wheels
Lark Rambo is the Executive Director of Coal Creek Meals on Wheels headquartered in Lafayette, CO. Follow on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube and learn more at coalcreekmow.org.
TELL US, WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT DO YOU DO?
My name is Lark Rambo and I am the executive director of Coal Creek Meals on Wheels (CCMOW). Our mission is to support independence and quality of life for Lafayette, Louisville, Erie, and Superior residents by providing nutritious meals and social contact.
HOW DID YOU GET HERE?
I have worked in the nonprofit sector for my entire working life, mostly with youth-serving and education organizations. When we moved to Lafayette 12 years ago I knew I wanted to serve my local community, and that opportunity presented itself in 2019 when I took the helm at CCMOW. The organization stood out to me because of its strong culture and connection to the community. CCMOW is a grassroots organization founded in the basement of a church by a group of community members who saw a need in the community and organized a group of people to meet that need. Despite our significant growth over the years, we have retained that small community feel.
Lark Rambo is the Executive Director of Coal Creek Meals on Wheels headquartered in Lafayette, CO. Follow on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube and learn more at coalcreekmow.org.
WHAT DO YOU STAND FOR? WHY IS THIS WORK IMPORTANT TO YOU?
It is really unbelievable that there are so many people in our community still struggling with food insecurity and social isolation in this day and age – especially our elders. Aging is a natural part of life, and yet, instead of preparing for the inevitable as a society and as individuals, we do everything we can to avoid aging. Those who need support are often embarrassed to ask for help, or are unable to advocate for themselves. At Coal Creek Meals on Wheels we do our best to eliminate stigmas and make it as easy as possible for those in need to access our services.
WHAT IMPACT ARE YOU MAKING?
When I joined the organization in 2019 we were a small operation with a budget of $400k and only two full-time staff members (and a handful of part-time staff). Now we are approaching a $1M budget, we have six full-time staff and four part-time staff, and we have doubled the number of meals we serve the community each day. The depth of support we are able to provide clients is far greater thanks to our amazing client services manager. We have also established new programs to meet unmet community needs, such as our Lafayette Library Grab n’ Go program and the Summer Meals for Kids program. And, I have lost count of the number of lives we have saved when a staff member or volunteer found clients in medical distress during meal deliveries. Overall we have made a big dent in the food insecurity and social isolation challenges facing our community.
WHAT (OR WHO) INSPIRES YOU TO DO THIS WORK?
I am inspired when I think of all of the caregivers out there doing their best to support their loved ones despite a lack of resources and support, and the folks who don’t have a caregiver to support them and are out there alone. I want to do this work to support them and allow the seniors in our community to age in place with dignity and comfort.
WHAT’S YOUR VISION, YOUR BIG DREAM FOR THE IMPACT YOU WANT TO MAKE?
I would love to live in a world where our elders are cared for and valued, not seen as a burden. In this world, everyone would have their basic needs met and would feel connected to the larger community. And, aging would be perceived in a positive light as a natural process of life.
WHAT CHALLENGES ARE YOU FACING?
We have seen a significant increase in demand, and we are bursting at the seams in our current space. We saw a 51% increase in meals served from 2022 to 2023, largely due to inflation and the expiration of pandemic-era benefits, and we expect that these elevated numbers will continue. It has been challenging to raise additional funds to support this rapid growth, but we are doing everything we can to avoid creating a waitlist for services. Our board of directors and staff are working together to strategically plan ways to increase our capacity. Fundraising, which is always a challenge for nonprofits, has become even more difficult in the last year or so. Charitable giving is trending downwards nationally, business support has decreased nationally, and increased need across the nonprofit sector is spreading other resources thin.
WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR CAUSE AND/OR THE WORK YOU’RE DOING?
We are a bit unusual for a Meals on Wheels organization in that we serve everyone and anyone. We have no age or income requirements for any of our programs. We still predominantly serve seniors, but we also deliver meals to school-aged kids during the summer when they can’t access school meals, and we offer free meals at the Lafayette Library with no questions asked. Also, our food is good! There is a stigma around Meals on Wheels food, but we make everything from scratch in our kitchen and we can accommodate many dietary restrictions.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE QUOTE OR WORDS OF INSPIRATION TO SHARE?
I have always loved this quote by Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
HOW CAN OTHERS SUPPORT YOU OR YOUR CAUSE?
Visit our website to learn about volunteering with CCMOW, make a donation, or sign a loved one up for services.
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