November 15th, 2005 - Weld Food Bank Turkey Drive November 19 to Raise Food for the Hungry
June 6, 2005 - Weld Food Bank Celebrates National Hunger Awareness Day with “One Big Potluck”
April 21, 2005 - Weld Food Bank Awarded 225 Additional Slots for Seniors
March 25, 2005 - Weld Food Bank Moves into its New Home
March 8, 2005 - Join Weld Food Bank in Fighting Hunger at 3rd Annual Stone Soup
Weld Food Bank Turkey Drive November 19 to Raise Food for the Hungry
November 15, 2005 - 53,000 pounds! 26.5 tons! Non-profit agencies served by Weld Food Bank indicate this is the amount of additional food they will need to help those who are hungry in Weld County during November and December of 2005. This is in addition to the 108,000 pounds used by these agencies in 2004 as well as the large amounts of food used in the four direct food service programs conducted by the food bank. The 53,000 pounds represents a 49% increase in food needed by agencies to help people at this difficult time of the year.
On Saturday, November 19, Weld Food Bank will conduct its 2005 Citywide Turkey Drive at seven grocery stores throughout Greeley. The food drive will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with volunteers and food bank staff members at the following stores:
Albertson’s – 2325 23rd Avenue
King Soopers at University Square – 2712 11th Avenue
King Soopers at Westlake – 2100 35th Avenue
Safeway at Bittersweet – 3526 W. 10th Street
Safeway at Centerplace – 4548 Centerplace Drive
Safeway Downtown – 1122 11th Avenue
Wal-Mart Superstore West – 920 47th Avenue
“This food drive is unique,” according to Mark Cronquist, Food Procurement Specialist with Weld Food Bank. “We’re asking people to consider donating frozen turkeys and hams in addition to the traditional non-perishable food items we receive during food drives. These protein items will be used by agencies in preparing holiday meals, completing food baskets and providing emergency food assistance during the holiday season,” stated Cronquist. “We’ve made special arrangements with the grocery stores to provide cold storage for the turkeys during the food drive until our food bank trucks can pick up these donations. Cash donations will also be accepted, since the food bank can distribute $17 worth of food for every $1 donated.”
Join the Weld Food Bank and its partner agencies in helping alleviate hunger. Be a beacon of hope against hunger during this holiday season by donating to the 2005 Turkey Drive.
Weld Food Bank Celebrates National Hunger Awareness Day with “One Big Potluck”
June 6, 2005 - Please join Weld Food Bank and our non-profit partner agencies on Tuesday June 7, 2005 for a free lunch 12-1:30pm to honor National Hunger Awareness Day at Lincoln Park in Greeley. Representative Jim Reisberg will be speaking about the importance of ending hunger in our nation. We hope that you will join us to fight hunger, together.
Weld Food Bank Awarded 225 Additional Slots for Seniors
April 21, 2005 – Weld Food Bank has been awarded 225 additional caseloads for seniors in the Commodities Supplemental Food Program, CSFP. CSFP is a federally funded nutrition program that serves children under 6 years old, pregnant and post-partum women, and senior citizens. While many nutrition programs are being cut across the board, Leona Martens, Executive Director of Weld Food Bank, has advocated in Washington D.C. to keep this vital program going. If Weld County were to have cuts in this program, it would cause a great deal of harm to the seniors in our community. Excellent nutrition ensures that medicines work properly, this is imperative for our seniors.
Colorado was allotted 328 new cases and Weld Food Bank received 225 of those caseloads for seniors. It is a tremendous honor. Maria Aguilara, of USDA said that, “This decision was made due to the capability of he Weld Food Bank to serve these additional people and to do so within all of the rules and regulations set forth by USDA.”
Three years ago, Weld Food Bank initiated $2.5 million capital campaign to build a larger facility that is specifically designed for efficient food collection, preparation, and distribution. With a new building, we will be able to reach more people, reduce food waste, provide better nutritional choices and education, better assist partner agencies that help people to become self-sufficient, and most importantly, nourish the community through long-term solutions to hunger. The new facility will offer endless volunteer and service opportunities for individuals and groups. Please contact us if you are interested in volunteering, touring the facility, or donating food or funds. Thank you Weld for making this dream a reality, we will now more efficiently serve our 40,000 clients per year and nearly 100 non-profit agency partners.
Weld Food Bank Moves into its New Home
March 25, 2005 – With deepest gratitude for the generosity of our community, Weld Food Bank is proud to announce that we will be moving into our new facility at 1108 H Street, Greeley CO, 80631 next week. Weld Food Bank will be closed March 28-31 and will open for business to the public on Friday, April 1, 2005.
Three years ago, Weld Food Bank initiated $2.5 million capital campaign to build a larger facility that is specifically designed for efficient food collection, preparation, and distribution. The new building will double the amount of dry storage space for non-perishable items; a 12,000 cubic-foot cooler; a 15,500 cubic-foot freezer (more than tripling present freezer capacity); modern loading docks designed for offloading semis and safely separating incoming and outgoing traffic; consolidate office space at the front of the building; an agency services area, and a large area in the front of the building where food supplies can be safely and efficiently distributed; and be handicap accessible. With a new building, we will be able to reach more people, reduce food waste, provide better nutritional choices and education, better assist partner agencies that help people to become self-sufficient, and most importantly, nourish the community through long-term solutions to hunger. Construction will continue throughout the year, including the building of a new commercial kitchen. We expect to distribute over 6 million pounds of food in the upcoming year and our new facility will allow us to do so in the most efficient manner.
The new facility will offer endless volunteer and service opportunities for individuals and groups. Please contact us if you are interested in volunteering, touring the facility, or donating food or funds. Thank you Weld for making this dream a reality, we will now more efficiently serve our 40,000 clients per year and nearly 100 non-profit agency partners.
Join Weld Food Bank in Fighting Hunger at 3rd Annual Stone Soup
March 8, 2005 – The 3rd annual Stone Soup fundraiser on Saturday, March 5, 2005 raised a record breaking $34,400 to fight hunger in our community. This premier event was set apart by its unique blend of children’s theater, a sumptuous sit-down dinner, enticing musical entertainment by Kenny Cordova and the Old Time Rock & Roll Band, and an ever-growing silent auction. With a 19% increase in the need for food assistance for our 40,000 low-income recipients this year, we were determined to double attendance at Stone Soup to raise more funds.
A popular European folk tale, the French version of Stone Soup features townspeople in fear of being generous due to the ravages of war. The Swedish story features a tramp that teaches stingy old women generosity by using a nail to start a delicious “nail broth”, while the Russian version uses an axe as the soup starter. Everywhere the tale is told, the story ends with the optimistic realization that when each person makes a contribution, the collective impact is enormous.
