Colorado Store Offers Free Food and Clothes, No Questions Asked

Walking into the NoCo CommUNITY Store means leaving your wallet behind. Everything here is free, and nobody will ask why you need it.

The 1,500-square-foot store opened in Fort Collins in early June, occupying donated space near the Loveland border. On opening day, 30 to 40 people came to shop. Since then, 15 to 20 people visit daily to pick up groceries, hygiene products, clothing, and household essentials.

"We feel people should have what they need," said Elizabeth Falkenberg, one of the store's volunteers. The concept is simple: collect excess from the community and give it to those who need it, no barriers attached.

Local businesses and residents donate everything stocked on the shelves. Laura Christian, owner of All Star Cleaning Services, donated the entire retail space to make the project possible.

Donations arrive faster than volunteers can process them, which means fresh items appear daily. Business clothing, paper goods, and hygiene products like soap and deodorant are especially needed, though the store welcomes everything from toys to furniture.

The store currently opens three days weekly: Sundays 2 to 4 p.m., Tuesdays 2 to 5 p.m., and Fridays 11 a.m. to noon. Hours could expand as more volunteers join the effort.

The Ripple Effect

Some community members worry people will abuse the system by traveling from other areas or taking items they don't truly need. Volunteer Dawn Morehouse addresses this concern head-on.

"We believe that human necessities should be free, not given once you can pass a made-up test about whether you deserve things one needs to survive," Morehouse explained. Sending someone home with pantry staples, secondhand clothes, and maybe a puzzle isn't inviting abuse—it's recognizing that many families struggle to make ends meet.

The philosophy extends to repeat visits too. When shoppers ask how often they're allowed to come in, volunteers tell them: "Any time you need something!"

This mutual aid model builds more than a safety net. It creates connections between neighbors and transforms excess into abundance for those going without.

The store welcomes donations of clean, unstained clothing and household items. Seeds for vegetable gardens, games, and furniture all find new homes when space allows.

Northern Colorado now has a place where being human is the only qualification needed.