The Hummingbird's Nest

J Durafourt • December 22, 2025

Hunger doesn’t run on a calendar.

While food drives and giving campaigns often peak during the holidays, the reality is that food insecurity affects families year‑round. Bills don’t pause after December. Groceries don’t get cheaper in January. And unexpected life events don’t wait for a “giving season.”

That’s why ABOLabs created the Community Table Program — a year‑round initiative designed to support local families with dignity, flexibility, and compassion.

Hunger in Colorado Doesn’t End With the Holidays

Food insecurity in Colorado is a year‑round reality, not a seasonal problem.

An estimated 1 in 8 Coloradans experiences food insecurity during the year
Nearly 1 in 7 Colorado children live in households that struggle to consistently access enough food
Demand at food banks across Colorado remains elevated year‑round, with noticeable spikes after the holidays, during summer months when school meals pause, and during periods of economic or medical strain

For many families, hunger is not about a single crisis — it’s about ongoing pressure from housing costs, healthcare expenses, childcare, and unexpected life events.

This is why community support matters year-round.

What Is the ABOLabs Community Table?

The ABOLabs Community Table is a voluntary community support program that allows patients to contribute a sack meal during their appointment while receiving mobile phlebotomy services.

It’s simple, optional, and designed to meet people where they are — without pressure or obligation.

Community Table exists because we believe:

Care doesn’t stop at healthcare
Community support shouldn’t be seasonal
Small acts, repeated consistently, make a real impact

What Is a “Sack Meal”?

A sack meal is a small collection of shelf‑stable food items that could reasonably help provide a family meal in a pinch.

A qualifying sack meal may include:

Shelf‑stable protein items
Canned vegetables, beans, soups, or fruits
Nut butters (plastic containers only)

Pre‑assembled sack meals are encouraged, but not required. All items must be new, unopened, shelf‑stable, and within their expiration date.

We keep this definition intentionally flexible — because families’ needs aren’t one‑size‑fits‑all.

How Participation Works

Participation in the Community Table is always voluntary.

If you choose to participate:

Bring a qualifying sack meal to your scheduled ABOLabs appointment
Enter the Community Table code on our website when booking or submitting payment
Your donation will be delivered to one of our approved local community partners

As a thank‑you, participants receive a 10% service discount on eligible ABOLabs services.

Please note:

The discount applies per appointment, not per item
It cannot be combined with other promotions unless approved
It does not apply to lab test pricing set by third‑party laboratories

Dignity First — Always

Community Table is designed with dignity at its core.

Participation is never required
Donations are not tied to medical care decisions
No personal health information is associated with donations
Our staff are trained to ensure food items are handled respectfully and separately from medical supplies

If participating isn’t possible for you at a given time, your care with ABOLabs is never affected.

Why ABOLabs Created Community Table

As a local, Colorado‑based mobile phlebotomy company, ABOLabs works with families across many stages of life — seniors, busy parents, rural patients, and individuals managing chronic conditions.

We see firsthand how closely health, stability, and access are connected.

Community Table is our way of extending care beyond the appointment — not through grand gestures, but through consistent, neighbor‑focused support.

Because hunger doesn’t wait. And neither should community care.