Denver Food Costs Push 80,000 Pounds of Free Potatoes
Denver grocers and food suppliers should note that 1 in 3 local adults are skipping meals as food costs rise.
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 in Denver, with a second giveaway opening Monday, November 2, from 10 a.m. to noon. The effort is aimed at Denver households feeling the pinch of rising food costs.
Why it matters
A recent Denver city survey found that 1 in 3 Denver adults are skipping meals because of rising food costs, and the nonprofit says local families have little room in their budgets after SNAP benefit reductions. For food businesses and grocers serving the Denver area, the scale of demand for free food signals a shifting customer base with tighter household spending.
The nonprofit's July giveaway moved 42,000 pounds of potatoes in under an hour, and the new event plans to distribute 80,000 pounds. Participation in its regular mobile food markets is up 40% year over year, and it has sent food to more than 190 other nonprofits, its highest number ever.
The players
We Don't Waste
A Denver-based food-rescue nonprofit operating since 2009 that redistributes surplus food through free giveaways, mobile markets, and a network of more than 190 partner nonprofits.
The details
The giveaway is free and open to the public, and anyone may bring boxes, bags, or wagons to collect potatoes, filling containers with as many as they can carry. The nonprofit has been dedicated to food rescue and repurposing since 2009, and its model redistributes surplus food through direct giveaways, mobile markets, and partner nonprofits. The growth in demand at both its mobile markets and its partner network shows how food-rescue distribution is absorbing more of the household food need in the Denver area.
Timeline
July 2026: The first potato giveaway distributed 42,000 pounds in under an hour.
Monday, November 2, 2026: The second potato giveaway opens from 10 a.m. to noon.
Market Landscape
The giveaway sits within Denver's food-assistance landscape, where demand is rising alongside reductions in SNAP benefits that the nonprofit cites as a driver of household budget strain. It shows food-rescue groups absorbing growing need in the local market, a dynamic that shapes how grocers and food suppliers in the city think about surplus product and customer spending.
Food businesses and grocers serving Denver should factor in a growing segment of households skipping meals and stretching budgets, which may shift purchasing toward lower-cost options. Operators in food distribution may also watch for surplus-food partnerships, since food-rescue groups are scaling their intake and distribution.
The takeaway
Rising demand at food-rescue distributors is a signal worth tracking in Denver's food-cost picture, particularly for grocers and food suppliers who may see changes in customer spending. Operators can monitor local food-insecurity survey updates and consider how surplus-product partnerships fit their own sourcing and waste-reduction practices.
What happens next
The second We Don't Waste potato giveaway opens Monday, November 2, 2026, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Park Hill warehouse at 6090 E. 39th Avenue, Denver.
Further reading
For more on the nonprofit giving that addresses local food needs, explore the Philanthropy section.
Live Poll
Do you think food costs are getting harder for families in your area to manage?
