Great Plates of Downtown Raises $133,736 to Benefit Food Bank for Larimer County

The Fort Collins Downtown Development Authority (DDA), the Food Bank for Larimer County, and the 48 participating downtown Fort Collins restaurants are thrilled to announce the 2022 Great Plates fundraising total.  This year’s promotion raised a record-breaking $133,736 in donations for the Food Bank!

Forty-eight downtown restaurants welcomed patrons to celebrate Great Plates for a 17th consecutive year.  From March 1 – 14, participating downtown restaurants offered up limited-time-only $25 menu specials and $2.50 a la carte items.  After enjoying their meal, diners were encouraged to share a meal with a neighbor in need by donating directly to the Food Bank.  One hundred percent of donation proceeds support the Food Bank’s mission to, “Provide food to all in need through community partnerships and hunger-relief programs.”

Serving as a community fundraiser, Great Plates is a Downtown dining tradition, highly anticipated by both the restaurant community and patrons.  Since forming a partnership with the Food Bank in 2008, donations have grown from a humble $7,360 raised by 29 participating businesses to an impressive $133,736 in 2022 with 48 participants.  This year’s donation total was possible due to the hard work of participating restaurants, their staff, and the donations provided by the community at large.

“Great Plates is one of Downtown’s greatest restaurant traditions and we look forward to it every year!  Last year, Old Town Restaurant Group raised over $50,000 for the Food Bank thanks to our generous guests and dedicated staff.  This year, we shattered that with over $80,000 in donations!  As a whole downtown, we raised $104,608 in 2021, and I am blown away by this year’s total and am so proud of our community’s generosity and support.  Being a board member for the Food Bank, I can’t even begin to explain how much that donation and this campaign means to us.”  – Ty Fulcher, Co-Owner of Old Town Restaurant Group.

For every $1 donated, the Food Bank can provide two meals’ worth of food.  Over the last 17 years, Great Plates of Downtown has raised $964,149, allowing the Food Bank to provide more than 1.9 million meals’ worth of food to community members struggling with food insecurity.  Last year, the Food Bank for Larimer County distributed 9.6 million pounds of food – enough food for 8 million meals. For more information on the Food Bank for Larimer County, visit foodbanklarimer.org.

“We know that our community is ready to rally behind our neighbors in need.  Even still, the level of support we saw from both restaurants and diners during Great Plates was remarkable,” said Food Bank for Larimer County CEO Amy Pezzani.  “Those in need of our services will see a direct benefit from this outstanding promotion.  The funds raised during Great Plates will help us provide our clients with enough food for tens of thousands of meals.  We never cease to be amazed by the willingness of this community to care for its most vulnerable residents.”

In terms of Food Bank donations collected, this year’s top four fundraising restaurants are: Rodizio Grill, The Melting Pot, Social, Union Bar & Soda Fountain.

Additional thanks to all of the 2022 Great Plates Participants:

Created in 1981, the Downtown Development Authority uses tax increment financing to stimulate redevelopment in the central business district and focuses on projects that have benefits for the entire community.  In 2020, the DDA developed a Business Marketing Communications Program; this program continues and evolves traditional promotions that add vibrancy and vitality to the downtown district.