In 2012, Bob Bell founded Food for Thought Denver after discovering a heartbreaking reality: many of Denver’s schoolchildren were going hungry, particularly on weekends when they couldn’t rely on school meals. Fueled by compassion and determination, Bell, along with volunteers from the Arvada Rotary Club, raised enough donations to begin supplying weekend food bags, known as PowerSacks, to two Denver public schools.

Today, Food for Thought Denver has grown into a vital lifeline for the community, serving 75 schools across the Denver area—all while remaining a 100% volunteer-driven organization. Despite many students qualifying for free and reduced breakfast and lunch during the week, weekends often leave them without enough food. Our mission is clear: to close this weekend hunger gap and ensure that no child in our community goes hungry.

Every Friday, dedicated volunteers, including individuals, students, and corporate teams, gather to pack PowerSacks—each filled with non-perishable food items sufficient to feed a family of four through the weekend. These bags are distributed to students on Friday afternoons, ensuring they have enough to eat until they return to school on Monday. Our vision is to create a community where weekend hunger is no longer a barrier to a child’s education and success.

Our commitment to this mission is reflected in our organizational structure, designed to keep overhead costs as low as possible. With no paid employees and all operational expenses covered by our board of directors and other generous supporters, every dollar donated goes directly to providing food for the children and families we serve. At Food for Thought Denver, we believe in the power of community, volunteerism, and the simple but profound act of ensuring no child goes hungry.

Food for Thought Denver strives to eliminate weekend hunger for children in the Denver area by providing food Powersacks. Doing so allows them to contribute more positively to their school environment and the communities in which they live, regardless of economic and social class. We believe that no child should go hungry.