Six food halls are coming together to raise funds and donations for Denver metro food banks as the federal government suspends its nutritional assistance program for the first time in history.
They are placing collection bins in their common areas and competing to see which can donate the most goods in one month. The drive is coming at a crucial time, as the Trump administration announced the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, would freeze starting in November.
Food banks are concerned about their dwindling food supplies as more people struggle to buy groceries. State leaders, including Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, have urged residents to donate to them. SNAP benefits sustain more than 600,000 Coloradans, half of whom are children.
The idea for a combined food drive originated from within The Tangled Ball, a yarn store inside Edgewater Public Market.
“It’s a perfect way to mobilize our communities around a cause that matters,” Edgewater general manager Dan Vivacqua said in a statement.
The participating food halls and their chosen food banks are:
- Avanti Food & Beverage (3200 N. Pecos St., Denver), for Bienvenidos Food Bank (bienvenidosfoodbank.org)
- Denver Central Market (2669 Larimer St., Denver), for Kaizen Food Rescue (kaizenfoodrescue.org)
- Edgewater Public Market (5505 W. 20th Ave., Edgewater), for JeffCo Eats (jeffcoeats.org)
- Freedom Street Social (15177 Candelas Parkway, Arvada), for Community Table (cotable.org)
- The Golden Mill (1012 Ford St., Golden), for BGOLDN (bgoldn.org)
- Stanley Marketplace (2501 Dallas St., Aurora), for Village Exchange Center (villageexchangecenter.org)
Each food court is urging customers to drop off goods specifically requested by the food bank or make financial donations.
“Donated items are great, and people love the act of shopping for others, but these nonprofits can stretch monetary donations further,” Vivacqua said.