Pinnacol Partners with 9Cares Colorado Shares: Good Makes Good!

Today, June 14th, Pinnacol employees were encouraged to donate non-perishable food items as part of the 9Cares Colorado Shares campaign. Denver's Channel 9 and Goodwill have teamed up to encourage local companies to host employee donation drives. At Pinnacol we named our drive "Beans for Jeans" as all employees who participated earned an extra casual day where they could wear jeans and dress down from their normal business attire. On Friday, June 17th, be sure to tune in as Greg Moss from Channel 9 will be visiting Pinnacol from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m.

The folks at Channel 9 tell us that Summer is historically a very busy time for food banks as they see an increase in need as families try to feed students who had been receiving federal free and reduced-cost lunches at their schools. The donations of food and toiletries will supply more than 125 food banks in metro Denver and along the Front Range from Fort Collins to Castle Rock through Food Works. Food Works coordinates the food distribution for 9News.

Clothing and other household items will be donated to Goodwill. Profits from the sale of these items help over 30,000 individuals with much needed workforce development skills, putting them on the path to success and giving them to tools they need to support themselves and their families.

During the 9Cares Colorado Shares Summer Drive, non-perishable food, toiletries, clothing are collected. Any non-perishable food is appreciated; however, food banks prefer foods high in protein. Those include peanut butter, tuna fish, and dry beans. They also always need soups and stews, Mac and Cheese, hot cereals, oatmeal, canned fruit and vegetables, and baby formula with iron. Food banks also need toiletry items such as diapers, shampoo, condition, soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes.

Goodwill also accepts all clothing. Goodwill is a non-profit organization that will use the funds created by the clothing to fund their programs which serve at-risk youth, individuals moving from welfare to work, and disabled individuals. In return, Goodwill provides clothing vouchers for area clothing banks to allow those in need to shop at Goodwill stores.

The public can also get involved - on Saturday, June 18th from 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. Staff and volunteers will be collecting non-perishable food, toiletries, and clothing at the 9News Studios and over a dozen regional locations for the less fortunate in Colorado.