Greeley West students will participate in a food drive like no others starting this February.

Typically, food drives are events organized by classrooms and school service clubs.  However, this one will be hosted by the entire school district and will benefit kids directly.

The purpose for this food drive is to provide a reliable resource for students who need it. In the city of Greeley the poverty rate is 16.2% and within the school district, over 60% of the students take advantage of the free and reduced lunch program. The Success Foundation and the Success Foundation’s Junior Board are working together in an attempt to build 14 food pantries by 2024, located within schools to provide assistance to District 6 families.  Greeley West’s new building will host one of these pantries, which students and their families will have access to. 

Each school will run their food drives differently.  Greeley West’s will be a month-long drive and will consist of a competition between each grade here and the winners will receive pizza or donuts. The food brought in will be weighed everyday, Monday-Friday, from 3:30 to 4 p.m. 

The times students can bring in food are 7:30 AM to 8:00 AM, during lunch, 3:30 to 4 after school, and during homeroom. There are certain foods you can and cannot bring in. For example the food you cannot bring includes any perishable items that will expire quickly or that needs to be refrigerated, junk food, soda, chips, candy and in general unhealthy food.

The acceptable items include, peanut butter, canned soups/stews, breakfast cereals, canned vegetables or fruits, shelf-stable milk, baby food, rolled oats, rice, quinoa/nuts, boxed pasta, popcorn kernels, pasta sauce, olive or canola oil, applesauce, honey, chicken, beef and vegetable brothd, Dried fruits, crackers and granola bars.

Greeley West’s goal for this food drive is to reach 10,000 pounds worth of food so it will require some volunteers to help out with everything. If you would like to volunteer (which could be anything from hanging posters, collecting food after school, boxing the food after the food drive on Friday, counting and recording food donations) you can sign up here.