The group of fifth- and sixth-graders looked like a colony of ants. Scurrying about with their individual tasks, the students from the North Routt Community Charter School were organizing a table piled with food at the LIFT-UP Food Bank on Monday, dividing the items and placing them on their respective shelves.

Students from the charter school, led by teachers Carissa Unrein and Missy Beirne, brought the students to the school as part of a community service project. The group spent an hour organizing piles of food from food drives organized by Girl Scouts and the Buddhist community of Steamboat Springs.

“As much as it looks like, it will be out of here before Christmas with the high demand we’ve had,” said Food Bank and Case Manager Pam Graham.

Fifth-graders Zava Zupan and Garret McCullav were in charge of putting toilet paper from the back room onto the main shelves.

Garret said the school has done a number of other activities and that he thinks continuing philanthropic work is important for the community.

“Some of the seniors, because of the economy, don’t have a lot of money to go get food,” he said. “Some families are just wanting a meal for Christmas.”

Graham said the food bank averages about 500 bags of food a month, but the center gave out 530 bags in just the first two weeks of December.

“It’s only by the grace of this community do we still have our doors open,” she said.

Graham said the economy and an unusually long break between the end of summer and the beginning of the winter tourist season have contributed to the increased need.

Individuals are limited to two plastic shopping bags of food apiece, with a maximum of 10 bags per family per visit. Patrons can choose anything to put in the bags, with maximum limits on popular items such as cereal and canned tuna.

Graham said the donations also have increased drastically this year to meet the demand.

“If I have to go through a crisis like this, I’m glad I’m here in Steamboat,” she said. “This community really takes care of its own.”