Northern Colorado Food Bank Appeals for Help Amid 230% Surge in Demand

Community in Crisis

The Weld Food Bank in Greeley, Colorado, is facing unprecedented demand — a staggering 230% increase in visits to its emergency food program — as more families struggle to make ends meet. With roughly 30,000 visits each month and rising costs of gas and groceries, the nonprofit is sounding the alarm for help ahead of the holiday season.

Strained Resources, Soaring Costs

Director of Marketing and Communications Weston Edmonds said the food bank is now spending close to $4 million annually to purchase food, up from $400,000 just five years ago. Declines in donations of meat, milk, and eggs have compounded the challenge, forcing the organization to use reserve funds to fill a projected $700,000 shortfall this year. “We aren’t providing what we used to,” Edmonds explained. “Some days, it may not be enough to make a full meal.”

The Human Impact

For residents like Russell Murphey, who now waits in lines that stretch around the block, the Weld Food Bank has become a lifeline. “The economy is hard. Grocery prices are getting high,” he said. “It’s easier for us to come here and put that money elsewhere where we need it.”

A Call to Action

As more families turn to the pantry amid reduced federal benefits from programs like SNAP and Medicare, Edmonds urges the community to step up. “Helping us bridge this financial gap ensures we can give good food — food families will eat and enjoy,” he said.