Fourteen million children in the United States are not always sure when they will have their next meal. In Colorado and Wyoming, that's the reality for one in seven children.

According to , food insecurity rates in the country are higher than they've been in more than 10 years while at the same time food benefit programs, like SNAP, are facing funding cuts. To meet the growing needs of the community, Food Bank of the Rockies is opening a 270,000-square foot facility in Aurora this winter.

"I'm excited about this new place!" said Martha King, who has volunteered for the organization five days a week for the last five years.

It's a new place, but the mission is the same -- but on a much grander scale.

"It's just going to make us all more efficient about getting the job done," King said.

That job is helping feed hundreds of thousands of people in the Rocky Mountain region facing food insecurity. It's a challenging mission Food Bank of the Rockies has committed itself to since 1978, operating out of two Denver-area facilities which comes with its own set of challenges.

"In our current building, we are running all the way to the other side of the building to grab that food and bring it back and load it on the trucks," explained Kelly Green, COO of Food Bank of the Rockies. "This building, it's going to be right here from the get-go."

Under one giant roof, Green said the organization will have an annual cost savings of over $500,000, allowing them to invest that savings into serving the community -- and its 800 hunger relief partners -- more efficiently.

"We're pulling a rabbit out of a hat," he said, "because we're doing more and we're spending less to do it."

And, in turn, the massive facility will expand the organization's reach.

"We will have double the cold food storge, triple the amount of volunteer space, and quadruple the kitchen space," said Erin Pulling, President and CEO of Food Bank of the Rockies.

With a kitchen four times the size of what he now works with, the organization's executive chef said it will allow him and volunteers to eventually serve upwards of 10,000 meals a day.

"It means so much to me," said Jon Knight. "I have the ability to accept large amounts of produce now, large amounts of fresh ingredients so I can process them down, cook them into shelf-stable items to then give back to the public."

That's needed now more than ever as the organization expects to see a surge in people need their help due to federal cuts to food assistance programs.

"We're seeing a decrease in available support, specifically in the budget reconciliation bill that just passed, with more than 600,000 people across Colorado and Wyoming receiving SNAP or food stamps who may see a reduction.  That's going to turn into an increased need," Pulling explained. "And we're seeing this increased need that's coming at a time when we have already had a reduction in the federal food we receive. Just in the last several months, we've lost about 7% of Food Bank of the Rockies' total food supply in government commodity food. That's why this new building cannot come soon enough. This new distribution center will truly elevate Food Bank of the Rockies' mission to nourish people facing hunger."

A mission they can accomplish, believes King, with the continued help of volunteers and community support.

"Yes, go out and give!" she said with a big smile. "We need it."

The $75 million capital campaign to build the new facility is 85% funded, but Food Bank of the Rockies is asking for the public's help meet the final 15% of its financial goal. To learn more about the project and donate, visit .