The Durango Food Bank collected more than 4,200 pounds of nonperishable food items Sunday at its first Dump Hunger Food Drive.
Sarah Smith, executive director of Durango Food Bank, credited the efforts of X-Rock 105.3-FM for the large haul.
“The X-Rock staff put a lot of work into it. They care about the cause, and they were on the air all day promoting it,” she said.
The Dump Hunger Food Drive, which Smith would like to make an annual event, aimed to fill a C&J Gravel dump truck bed with nonperishable food items.
Smith said the food drive came at a good time as nonperishable items had been depleted by heavy requests for assistance after the 416 Fire.
Durango Food Bank served as a distribution point for food and household items for families evacuated during the 416 Fire, and Smith said the fire also caused disruptions with summer donations.
“We didn’t have nearly what we should have going into the holidays,” she said.
Smith said Saturday’s haul of eight pallets of nonperishable food should keep Durango Food Bank in good supply until the national Scouting for Food drive sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America, which will be the next food drive in February.
Cody Kopp, who hosts “The Morning Disaster” on X-Rock said the Durango Chamber of Commerce, Homestead Dispensary, and Durango Joes also helped with the food drive.
“One guy came with a whole shopping cart and said, “This is all yours; I only came for ornament hooks.’ We’re grateful for the generosity of the community,” he said.
parmijo@durangoherald.com
