We Don't Waste Gives Away 80,000 Pounds of Potatoes
The free giveaway at the Park Hill warehouse comes as Denver residents report growing difficulty affording food.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Philanthropy
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We Don't Waste is giving away 80,000 pounds of potatoes to the public for free at its Park Hill warehouse. The giveaway follows a July event that distributed 42,000 pounds in under an hour.
Why it matters
A recent Denver city survey found that 1 in 3 Denver adults are skipping meals due to rising food costs. We Don't Waste says local families have little to no wiggle room in their budgets, citing SNAP benefit reductions and rising living costs.
We Don't Waste distributed 42,000 pounds in July and is now offering 80,000 pounds, while participation in its mobile food markets rose 40% year over year. Attendance figures for the November giveaway have not been reported.
The players
We Don't Waste
A Denver food rescue nonprofit dedicated to recovering and repurposing food since 2009, which distributes surplus food to residents and other nonprofits.
The details
Anyone may bring their own boxes, bags, or wagons to collect potatoes, and attendees fill containers with as many free potatoes as they can carry. The second giveaway opens Monday, November 2, from 10 a.m. to noon at the warehouse at 6090 E. 39th Avenue. This year the nonprofit sent food to over 190 other nonprofits, its highest number ever.
Timeline
July 2026: The first potato giveaway distributed 42,000 pounds in under an hour.
Monday, November 2, 2026, 10 a.m. to noon: The second potato giveaway opens at the Park Hill warehouse.
Philanthropy Context
Food rescue nonprofits like We Don't Waste have expanded their role as household food costs rise and federal SNAP benefits shrink, with the organization reporting record partnerships this year. The Denver giveaways place a local nonprofit in the middle of a regional strain on family grocery budgets.
Denver residents can collect free potatoes by bringing their own boxes, bags, or wagons to the warehouse during the Monday morning window. The giveaway offers direct relief for households trimming meals or grocery spending.
The takeaway
Families facing tight grocery budgets can check nonprofit food distribution events in their area before committing to rising store prices. Bringing reusable containers to giveaways like this one makes collecting free food more practical.
What happens next
A second potato giveaway opens Monday, November 2, 2026, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Park Hill warehouse at 6090 E. 39th Avenue.
Further reading
Explore more Denver Philanthropy stories to see how local nonprofits are responding to rising food costs.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Denver 7 Colorado News (KMGH).
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