Potatopalooza giveaway in Denver works to cut down on food waste and cost

Paotatopalooza is back for round two.

Nonprofit We Dont Waste is opening its warehouse doors Monday morning to give out 80,000 pounds of potatoes to the public.

The event is double the size of their July giveaway, where 42,000 pounds were given away in under an hour.

We Dont Waste has been dedicated to food rescue and repurposing since 2009. This year, theyve watched the need for their services grow.

Participation in their regular mobile food markets is up 40% year over year, with hundreds of people lining up for each event. This year, the nonprofit sent food to over 190 other nonprofits their highest number ever.

In a We Dont Waste media release, the organization says Denver families have little to no wiggle room in their budgets, citing SNAP benefit reductions and rising cost for living as causes.

A recent Denver city survey shows that 1 in 3 Denver adults are skipping meals due to rising food costs.

Anyone is invited to bring their own, boxes, bags or even wagons to fill up with as many free potatoes as they can at We Dont Wastes Park Hill warehouse at 6090 E. 39th Avenue in Denver from 10 a.m. to noon.