Partners with Care and Share Food Bank.

Kum & Go and Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado announced a food rescue pilot program at a grand opening celebration for Kum & Go’s newest Colorado Springs store.

Through the food rescue program, Kum & Go will donate safe, prepared excess food to Care and Share for distribution to their partner agencies. Items donated include breakfast sandwiches, hot and cold lunch sandwiches, salad and produce, fresh packaged bread and mini bakery items.

“As we continue to look for ways to reduce waste, help our communities and tackle hunger close to home, we are excited to get the program up and running,” said Derek Nelson, sustainability manager for Kum & Go.

The program will begin at Kum & Go’s newest store at 2422 Research Parkway, and will eventually expand to food pickups from all Kum & Go stores throughout the city by year-end.

“We’re looking forward to this partnership with Kum & Go as we work together to take on hunger in our community,” said Shannon Brice, chief development officer, Care and Share Food Bank of Southern Colorado.

To celebrate the announcement and new store opening, a ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony was held earlier today. Officials from Kum & Go and Care and Share were present to say a few words and celebrate together. Kum & Go presented a $1,000 check to Care and Share as a thank you for their partnership.

Kum & Go hosted a food drive at its 2422 Research Parkway store on Wednesday, Jan. 18, to raise awareness about the food bank.

Every customer who donated at least one food item received a coupon for a free slice of pizza. Most-needed items included:

Canned fruit

Canned vegetables

Soup

Canned meat or tuna

Peanut butter

Cereal and oatmeal

Kum & Go operates more than 400 stores in 11 states (Iowa, Arkansas, Colorado, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming). It operates 14 stores in the Colorado Springs area, and 55 in the state of Colorado.