LIFT-UP selling Rifle, Parachute buildings to focus on hunger relief

Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times
LIFT-UP plans to sell its commercial buildings in Rifle and Parachute in order to direct more resources toward food assistance across Colorado and Roaring Fork valleys, according to a news release.
The nonprofit said the move will help reduce debt, bring its assets in line with its mission and put more funding toward hunger relief. LIFT-UP will continue to operate out of its warehouse and offices in West Glenwood Springs, purchased in 2023 as the central hub for food distribution throughout Garfield County.
“This is a strategic business decision to make LIFT-UP stronger and better positioned to meet rising food needs across our region,” Board Chair Tricia Aragon said in the release. “We’re in a fortunate position to have the ability to sell assets. Many nonprofits don’t have that luxury.”
Thrift stores to close, food pantries remain
The properties house LIFT-UP’s thrift stores, but those shops have produced a shrinking share of revenue in recent years — only about 5% so far in 2025, according to the release. The Parachute store closed Saturday, Aug. 16, and the Rifle location will remain open until the end of August.
“We recognize that the thrift stores are an important resource to the Rifle and Parachute communities, and we’ve been honored to provide this service over the years,” interim director Elyse Hottel said in the release. “We love our customers; we love our retail donors – it’s been a great win-win.”
Hottel added that food distribution remains the top priority. “Feeding people seeking support is our mission,” she said. “It’s what we do really well, and we need to double down on it because the rising cost of living in our region, coupled with federal funding cuts, is only going to increase the need.”
While the buildings are up for sale, the Rifle and Parachute food pantries will continue to operate in their current locations. LIFT-UP said it is committed to relocating both before finalizing any sales.
Anticipating rising demand
LIFT-UP distributes more than 800,000 pounds of food annually from Parachute to Aspen. Its five food pantries and mobile market average about 1,000 visits each week, while Extended Table soup kitchens in Glenwood Springs and Rifle provide about 900 meals weekly in partnership with local churches. The nonprofit also supplies more than 500 food boxes and emergency bags each month to seniors and low-income households, and it works with local farmers and ranchers to stock pantries with fresh produce, meat and dairy.
Board member Sarah Burggraf said in the release that the organization has endured economic shifts for more than four decades. “This is a very dynamic, nimble organization that has found ways to survive in all sorts of economic conditions for over 40 years,” she said. “We’re adapting once again to continue serving people in need for the next 40 years.”
According to Aragon, visits to LIFT-UP’s food pantries have risen 120% since 2022, and the nonprofit expects even greater need as federal budget cuts take effect in 2026.
“The need isn’t going away, and LIFT-UP isn’t going away,” Hottel said in the release. “We’re making the necessary financial adjustments to make sure of it. Our goal is to get back to financial stability by the end of 2025 so we can start to scale up to meet the increased demand we anticipate in the coming years.
LIFT-UP said it will continue to update the community as the transition moves forward, especially regarding pantry relocations. More information about programs, volunteering and donations is available at liftup.org.

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