Welcome to the LFR Newsletter
- Rescued more than 72,000 lbs of food in 2022 exceeding last year’s yield, and bringing us to a grand total of 237,000 lbs since our founding in 2017.
- Expanded our free community food distribution sites to St. Vrain Manor and St. Vrain Village, reaching up to 25 households at each event.
- Distributed fresh and nutritious food to 1300-1400 individuals a month through our various distribution programs and ongoing food rescue efforts.
- Debuted Longmont Community Fridges, a collaborative project with UpRoot Colorado that provides the first 24/7 free food access in Longmont!
- Continued our partnership with The J.M. Smucker Company, who generously donated 15,000 Uncrustables sandwiches to be distributed across 6 sites.
- Forged new partnerships with UpRoot Colorado and Agape Safe Haven to expand our reach in the Longmont community.
- Received grants from Longmont Community Foundation and the Boulder County Community Foundation, and the Food Pantry Assistance Grant and Philanthropic Grant from Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger. These grants gave us funding to launch new summer programs, develop our community fridge program, expand our distribution sites, and support general operating costs.
Looking Ahead to 2023
In the new year, we are excited to grow our impact and reach in the Longmont Community. In addition to our ongoing food rescue and distribution, we plan to expand our public distribution events and add new donation recipients to our network. In the spring, we are looking forward to developing our Longmont Community Fridges project and adding new fridge locations to increase our 24/7 free food access sites to those in need. And with the help of our newest board member and website design extraordinaire, Caitlin Koryto, we are working towards updating LFR’s website and creating a brand-new web page for our Longmont Community Fridges. Stay tuned!
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Donor Spotlight: High-Quality Protein for Holiday Meals
This holiday season, we received two large high-quality protein donations from generous donors. Rancho Largo gifted LFR with 100 pounds of locally ranched beef, including ground beef, T-bone steaks, Sirloin steaks, and fajita meat to feed the community. The J.M Smucker Co. also generously donated 200 pounds of turkey which we distributed to local families and homeless outreach facilities to use during the holiday season. We are so thankful to these two donors for brightening our recipients’ holidays with the gift of a holiday meal!
As inflation continues to push food prices higher, donations like these are critical to increasing healthy food purchasing power among nonprofits and families in need. We are always seeking large-scale food donations from local farms, food producers, and retailers. If you or anyone you know might be interested in donating to LFR, please contact us at [email protected].
For smaller donations, please donate to our Community Fridges, located at Agape Safe Haven and Longmont United Hospital.
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Volunteer Spotlight: Melanie Graham
“Having access to healthy food and fresh produce is so critical for physical and mental well-being, and I love being able to support that through LFR volunteering. Some of my favorite volunteering experiences have happened when dropping off produce at The Inn Between; the residents are excited for fresh squash, tomatoes, etc., and it’s wonderful to see the positive effect of the donations. And as a bike courier for Fresh Food Connect, I love meeting my Longmont neighbors and visiting all corners of this fantastic city. Sometimes I even get to trade gardening tips with the donors!”
Melanie started volunteering with LFR this past summer and has been eager to help in a variety of different food rescues ever since! She has rescued 2,559 pounds of produce from the Longmont Farmers Market, Longmont Whole Foods, and local gardeners through the Fresh Food Connect App. She has completed the majority of her shifts on bike – traveling 44+ miles and redistributing 188 pounds of produce, saving 86 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions!
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Thank You for Donating on Colorado Gives Day!
On Colorado Gives Day, we reached 1/3 of our goal and raised $3,303 from 52 different donors to support our mission. This was the first year we were eligible to participate in this state-wide fundraising event and we are so grateful to everyone who made a donation in support of LFR’s mission. Each donation supports our food rescue efforts and helps us collectively move towards a future where all Longmont residents have access to fresh and nutritious foods. If you missed your chance to donate on Colorado Gives Day and still want to contribute, it’s not too late. We are still accepting donations until the end of the year! 
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Support Us When You Shop This Holiday Season
Want an easy way to support Longmont Food Rescue? Simply activate AmazonSmile in your web browser or app and select Longmont Food Rescue as your charity of choice. Now whenever you shop through Amazon, 0.5% of your eligible purchases will be donated to LFR at no cost to you!
Once you activate your account, find Longmont Food Rescue on the Charity List, add items you want to purchase and check out. It’s really that simple! Shop through smile.amazon.com on your browser to ensure every Amazon purchase supports LFR.
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difference in your community? Join our volunteer team and help us reduce hunger and food waste in Longmont. Please email [email protected] if you’re interested in a regular shift or would like to be added to a list of substitute volunteers.