Nov. 15 will mark the 16th year of New Castle’s November food drive, an effort led by local children across the tight-knit community.

Formally known as the Scouting for Food Drive, the first phase of this year’s Harvest Hustle was completed last Saturday, when members of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Coal Ridge High School and the Cub Scouts distributed bags to every household in town.

The second phase takes place this Saturday, when kids will return to collect donated items. This year, the two nonprofits hope to gather more than 10,000 pounds of nonperishable food for local organizations such as LiftUp.

Adding to the excitement, the town of Silt is joining the effort for the first time, a step organizers expect will boost overall donations. Food contributions may be dropped off at Silt Town Hall, 231 N. Seventh St., Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through Dec. 1. Town offices will close at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 26 and will not reopen until Monday, Dec. 1, so donations must be made before that early closure or on Dec. 1 when offices reopen.

“It’s like a big scavenger hunt for the kids,” former scout leader and original organizer John Harcourt said. “It’s all very organized. We split the town into 13 different zones, and we go around to 2,400 houses in an hour and a half. We’ll start at 11 this coming Saturday, and within two hours, we’ll have collected all of our food.”

A donation box outside City Market in New Castle will continue accepting contributions through Nov. 24.

Harcourt said that because the drive is now well established, nearly half of all donations come through that drop box. The effort has consistently exceeded expectations. Nearly two decades ago, when New Castle had just over 4,000 residents, participating kids raised more than one ton — 2,000 pounds — of food. Over the past 15 years, the total has climbed to more than 100,000 pounds, according to a 2024 Facebook post from Harcourt.

“It’s a really good time for giving, and I think it falls in line with the spirit of the holiday,” he said.

Wesley Alexander, a sixth grader at Rifle Middle School, has participated in the drive since fifth grade and said it doesn’t feel like work because of how fun and rewarding it is.

“My favorite part is going door to door — it’s really fun to do it with my friends,” he said. “Sometimes we make challenges for ourselves, like who can get through the most houses or get to the bottom of the hill first. It’s a lot of fun.

“It feels shocking to see the amount of food,” he added. “I know that on the Western Slope there are some small towns, and for the amount of people who take the bag and go to City Market to fill it up with food — it’s absolutely amazing. It’s a really good feeling.”

His father, Jeff, agreed, saying watching kids embrace the spirit of giving is something he’ll remember.

“It’s been very enjoyable to watch,” he said. “It’s always fun to see him and his friends getting more involved and enjoying the work they’re doing. For them to realize that it’s not just them — it’s everyone in town, it’s LiftUp, the scouts and all the other community groups coming together in support — gives them a really good sense of community and a feeling of being part of something more than themselves.”

This year’s effort also includes help from the Coal Ridge Honor Society, the Girl Scouts and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

The donation box at City Market in New Castle will remain open through Nov. 24.