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11 20 24 Food Bank of the Rockies' Joanna Wise Previews 2024 KOA Holiday Food Drive
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If you put aside 25 cents every week for a year, what could you get at the end? A few cups of coffee maybe? A candle? Or you could get a year of the best reporting from all over the world. Go to washingtonpost.com/bf24 right now. You'll get a Washington Post subscription for 25 cents a week for your first year. This is a Black Friday sale, so it won't last long. Washington Post.com/bf24. A very special day today at KOA, the day in which we devote much more broadcast day to helping the Food Bank of the Rockies. Yeah, you'll find the entire KOA team from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the King Supers at Colorado and Yale, where you can help out by donating and joining us now on the KOA Commons Spirit Halt Hotline to talk more about it. With the Food Bank of the Rockies, it's Joanna Wise. Joanna, thank you so much for your time this morning. Good morning. Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to be able to talk about the food drive. It's an exciting time for KOA. They have opportunities for some giveaways and some prizes for donating. But it's also just a great time to give back to the community as well. Tell us a little bit about the need that the Food Bank of the Rockies has and how it helps out our local community. Well, this is such an important time for us as we see the community coming together because what we're seeing is that the level of food insecurity in our region and across the country. Really are at the highest that we've experienced in the past 10 years. So Food Bank of the Rockies, we're certainly seeing that being neared at our distribution. We're also hearing the same thing from our hunger relief partners who are serving neighbors across our community. So being able to get that support from community members, every single donation really does count during this time. I was going to ask Joanna because there is great need. It depletes the resources you have to help fill that need. How are your resources? How have you been this past year and trying to help the community with those in need and food and security? We have been sharing a lot about what we've been hearing from neighbors and the challenges that they're facing. And one of the things that we're hearing is the cost of living has increased. The cost of groceries has increased, but also a lot of the pandemic era support programs and relief efforts have ended at the same time. Now, a lot of those support programs were also in place for hunger relief organizations and nonprofits. Those have ended for us as well. So that's the challenge that we're facing is that we no longer have that federal support, but we're still seeing a growing number of people who are in need of resources. And so that's why we really are turning to the community, especially as we're going into the holiday season to really be able to receive that support to continue our mission. Going into the holiday season, obviously, a lot of Thanksgiving staples are very much needed for food bank Iraqis. But what are some of the other food items that are greatly in need right now? Oh, yes. Well, we always try to encourage shelf stable items that really also can support an individual's well-being. So we're looking for the whole grain granola bars, the easy to eat proteins like canned tuna, canned chicken, pouch tuna as well, whole grain cereal, quinoa, rice, pasta, things that are hearty, but can also last in a pantry for a little while as well. So as you are doing your grocery shopping, if you can pick up some of those items, please do feel free to donate those. They really do help us out and they mean a lot to our neighbors as well. As we got into the segment with you, I know it's a special day for us because we're out there trying to help and promote this all for food bank of the Rockies. But I sometimes, and I know I don't have to tell you this in this space, we think about it for one day, but this is something you do 365 days a year. So you are absolutely glad to take help, not only on days like this where we highlight it, but throughout the year as well. We do, and what we really like to emphasize as well is that the support we receive now, it really does go a long way beyond the holiday season. One of the things we really like to share with the community is that if you're not able to donate in person today, you can always make a monetary donation. For every dollar donated, we're able to provide enough food for three meals for our neighbors in need. And that's because we're able to leverage those dollars a little bit better than you or I could when we go to the grocery store. It's through our buying power that we have because of the relationships that we have with manufacturers and retailers and farmers, as well as the way that we are able to leverage the amount of donated food that we receive. So every dollar, we're able to provide three meals and that goes beyond the holiday season. You can find more information at foodbankrockys.org or find us beginning at nine o'clock this morning outside of the King Supers at Colorado and Yale. We'll be there all throughout the day until nine p.m. tonight where you can donate food or cash while the QR code there as well. But walking right into the King Supers is pretty convenient too. With Food Bank of the Rockies, it's Joanna Wise. Joanna, thank you so much for your time this morning. We appreciate it. Thank you so much. There's only one feeling like knowing your banker personally, like growing up with a bank you can count on, like being sure what you've earned is safe, secure, and local. There's only one feeling like knowing you're supporting your community. You deserve more from a bank. You deserve an institution that stood strong for generations. Bank of Colorado, there's only one member FDIC. Hello, it is Ryan and we could all use an extra bright spot in our day, couldn't we? Just to make up for things like sitting in traffic, doing the dishes, counting your steps, you know, all the mundane stuff. That is why I'm such a big fan of Chumba Casino. Chumba Casino has all your favorite social casino style games that you can play for free anytime, anywhere with daily bonuses. So sign up now at ChumbaCocino.com. That's ChumbaCocino.com. Sponsored by Chumba Casino, no purchase necessary, VGW Group, void word prohibited by law, 18-plus terms and conditions apply. If you put aside 25 cents every week for a year, what could you get at the end? A few cups of coffee, maybe? A candle? Or you could get a year of the best reporting from all over the world. Go to washingtonpost.com/bf24 right now. You'll get a Washington Post subscription for 25 cents a week for your first year. This is a Black Friday sale, so it won't last long. WashingtonPost.com/bf24.