Weld Food Bank Collects Over $10,000 and 30,000 Pounds of Food During Weekend Holiday Drive
The Weld Food Bank's Hope for the Holidays Food Drive collected more than $10,000 in cash donations and 30,000 pounds of food, including over 500 turkeys, during a November 23 event across 14 grocery stores in Weld County.
The weekend drive brings the organization closer to its goal of distributing 6,000 turkeys to food-insecure families during the holiday season. With 4,897 turkeys now collected, the food bank needs approximately 1,100 more to meet its target.
The food bank warehouse will accept frozen turkey donations until November 27 at 2 p.m., when the organization begins an extended holiday break.
The 6,000-turkey goal reflects demand from thousands of Weld County households registered for holiday food assistance. The Greeley-based nonprofit, founded in 1982, serves over 88,000 food-insecure residents across the county annually, including approximately 26,000 children, according to the organization's data.
Weld Food Bank recruited 22 volunteers earlier in November to staff collection locations at grocery stores throughout Weld County for the November 23 drive.
Food insecurity affects 11.2% of Weld County residents, with children experiencing higher rates at 14.7%, according to Weld County's Community Health Improvement Plan. Hispanic households and families at or below the federal poverty level face disproportionately higher rates of food insecurity.
The weekend collection follows a November 21 Beaujolais Nouveau wine-tasting fundraiser that raised a record $35,000 for the food bank's hunger relief programs. Additionally, DJ Basin COGA and Varra Companies launched a $75,000 donation match on November 22, doubling all contributions through November 30.
Beyond holiday food drives, Weld Food Bank operates year-round programs including Leona's Kitchen, which provides over 150,000 meals annually to children, and mobile food pantries serving remote communities. The organization distributed more than 15.6 million pounds of food in 2024 through partnerships with 70 nonprofit agencies across Weld County.
Residents can drop off frozen turkeys at the Weld Food Bank warehouse in Greeley before November 27 at 2 p.m.