When we say we can’t do what we do without our dedicated, passionate, and hard-working volunteers, we mean it. Last year, volunteers donated more than 148,000 hours to Food Bank of the Rockies and Food Bank of Wyoming. That’s equivalent to 71 full-time employees and a 31% increase in volunteer hours over the previous year — a truly incredible gift of time, energy, and compassion.
We are so grateful to all our volunteers who choose to spend their valuable time furthering our cause of igniting the power of community to end hunger, and each year select individual volunteers and groups to honor for their gift. Now, meet the 2025 award winners for the Denver metro area!
2025 Betty Van Hook Memorial Award Recipient: Martha King
Total Hours Volunteered: 3,000+ since 2020
Martha King remembers when she first was inspired to start volunteering. It was after she heard President Kennedy’s speech beckoning to Americans “not to ask what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” That sparked a life-long commitment of giving back for Martha — through two Peace Corps stints, countless actions and gifts, and, at Food Bank of the Rockies, showing up five days a week to donate thousands of hours organizing and packing food for people experiencing food insecurity.
In honor of Martha’s steadfast dedication to volunteering, she was chosen as the 2025 Betty Van Hook Memorial Award winner, an award given to people who emulate Betty’s passion, spirit, and servant heart.
“We’re all in this together, and some of us are much more fortunate than others,” shared Martha. “And the more that we can contribute and get together and support each other, the better our society will be, the better the world will be. It really is a passion. Food is a basic human need. And when you don’t have it and when you’re food insecure, everything else just kind of falls apart.”
In 2024, Martha reached 500 hours of volunteer time at the Food Bank. Her fellow volunteers and staff from Food Bank of the Rockies shared that Martha’s positivity and generosity are inspiring and uplift the people around her each and every day.
2025 Community Group of the Year: Saturday Morning Regulars
49 shifts in 2024
Seventeen individuals who volunteer together at least two Saturdays every month, nicknamed the Saturday Morning Regulars, are being honored as the 2025 Community Group of the Year.
The group’s core members are Linda Berteau, Paul Berteau, Karla Castillo, Larry Cook, Zaq Dohallow, Jon Fahey, Blaine Grady, John Guala, Chuck Johnson, Amy Karr, Nadine Meux, Todd Minnich, Zachary Mokrycki, Don Novotny, Keri Trinkle, Steve Satler, and Thomas Walker. Together, the cohesive group plays an instrumental role in ensuring Food Bank of the Rockies’ program for older adults, Everyday Eats, operates efficiently.
“We’ve become more than volunteers, we’re friends,” shared Paul Berteau, who has been volunteering with Food Bank of the Rockies for more than 27 years. “We understand the whole process and are very comfortable with it, which improves flow and allows us to do in one day what used to take several. We’re all of the same mindset and all there because we care about feeding people.”
The Everyday Eats Program is especially poignant to Paul and his other fellow volunteers who also are retired. Why? Because if circumstances were changed, they would be the ones in need of the food.
“The program is for people 60 and older. The blessing in my life is I’ve never been hungry, and I’ve especially never been in situations where I couldn’t do anything about it,” Paul shared. “The recipients of the Everyday Eats Program, they can’t change their situation. It’s too late in life. You know? They’re too boxed in by what they have. Older folks can’t just go out and find a job and improve their situation, or, you know, change their budget such that they can improve the situation they’re locked in. This program provides a supplement. It provides an opportunity for them to eat better.”
We are so grateful for this dynamic group of people who dedicate their Saturdays to supporting their community. The group’s positive attitude, desire to work hard, and passion is what it looks like to ignite the power of community to nourish people facing hunger.
2025 Corporate Group of the Year: Ardent Mills
Total Hours Volunteered: 900+ since 2019
Since its inception in 2014, Ardent Mills employees have been actively living their value of service through volunteerism, hosting an annual charity golf tournament, and donating flour to support Food Bank of the Rockies. Their dedication, hard work, and enthusiasm have fueled their impact and, over the years, they have collectively contributed nearly 8 million meals to nourish communities across Colorado and Wyoming.
“At Ardent Mills, we are committed to putting service into action every day, striving to make a lasting impact,” said Nick Benham, Vice President, Corporate Controller at Ardent Mills and Food Bank of the Rockies board member. “With deep roots in agriculture and food, we feel a strong connection to Food Bank of the Rockies’ mission. Their work closely aligns with our mission to enhance the quality of life and standard of health, and we are proud to support their efforts.”
In 2024, more than 100 Ardent Mills employees volunteered with Food Bank of the Rockies on 10 occasions. The team also raised enough funds to provide the equivalent of 890,585 meals to people facing hunger and donated more than 9,400 pounds of flour. Their continued dedication makes a meaningful difference, and we are incredibly grateful for their partnership and the positive energy they bring to every volunteer shift and initiative.
2025 Rising Volunteer of the Year: Doug Clements
Total Hours Volunteered: 900+ since 2020
Recognizing an individual that exemplifies the values of Food Bank of the Rockies and has truly dedicated themselves to their volunteer role, the Rising Volunteer of the Year award for 2025 goes to Doug Clements.
Doug has been a dedicated volunteer on the receiving dock at the Denver Distribution Center since 2020. During his time with us, he has built strong relationships with staff, other volunteers, and Hunger Relief Partners, and demonstrates during every shift his commitment to improving processes and the experience on the dock for all.
“Working on the dock you get to meet the people you’re helping; it’s something I look forward to every week,” Doug shared. “The line is so thin between being okay and not being okay. Volunteering here, you realize how fortunate you are.”
Doug and his fellow dock volunteers especially enjoy the personal aspect of their roles; getting to meet the partners picking up food is a major highlight in their work.
“You can see who you’re helping. It’s hard work on the dock, and I like hard work,” said Doug. “It’s something I look forward to every week. We are lucky that we get to deal face-to-face with the people that are going to take that food to the people that actually need the help.”
