Realtors collect thousands of donations for local food bank

More than 2,000 pounds of food and household items have been collected to help stock the shelves at the Community Food Bank of Grand Junction.

Every year the Grand Junction Area Realtors Association hosts their annual Fill the Basket Food Drive, to help raise money and donations for a charity in need.

“People look at realtors as just selling real estate, but basically one of the genes realtors have is serving the community,” said Toni Heiden, Chairperson of the Grand Junction Area Realtors Association.

This year they raised $460 and collected thousands of everyday things in just three hours outside of a couple Walmart locations.

Monday they were sorting all of it and packing them up to take to the food bank.

"It's essential because if we don't get this food from a food drive we have to go out and purchase it and while we get great discounts from local merchants this is free food, so it’s very important to fill our shelves,” said Biff Messinger, President of Community Food Bank.

They say their always in need of donations and volunteers to work three hours a week.