Skip to main content
Can Care-A-Van food collection campaign a huge success in Nebraska
can

More than 205,360 pounds of food was collected this year in Nebraska’s Can Care-A-Van drive. Organized by the CBS affiliate in Lincoln, Nebraska, the collection drive has been sponsored by Black Hills Energy for seven years.

The Can Care-A-Van collects food to help stock shelves at local food pantries. The 2021 campaign ran from June 14-18 and included stops in the Nebraska cities of Neligh, Sutton, Superior, Ainsworth, Ord, Crete, Geneva, Grand Island, York, Columbus, Nebraska City, Lexington, Atkinson and Thayer.

With so much unknown in this pandemic recovery year, there was no way to gauge how communities would respond. What a thrill to see goals surpassed! For example, organizers hoped to collect 1,000 pounds of food in Atkinson. They surpassed that goal, collecting 1,500 pounds for Atkinson Stuart Food Pantry.

“Now more than ever, our communities need a hand up, and we are happy to be part of a longstanding, impactful tradition like the Can Care-A-Van that has and continues to help provide food security across the state,” said Kevin Jarosz, vice president of operations in Nebraska.

In addition to donating items themselves, Black Hills Energy team members also volunteered to collect and organize donations. Others who live in and serve communities which were not designated as 10/11 Can Care-A-Van collection sites were still determined to make a difference. Ambassadors organized drives within their offices and donated the items to local pantries.

We partner with our communities and customers, providing the kind of energy that fuels those areas and the lives of those we serve. Feel free to share the stories and photos. Make sure to tag us on FacebookInstagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Positive Energy

  • The plotter printer at our office in Montrose, Colorado, was nearing the end of its useful life, needed repairs and was slated to be replaced. But instead of simply tossing away the large and expensive printer used to create construction documents and technical drawings, materials manager Chase…
  • Black Hills Energy was recently recognized by the Rapid City Community Relations Commission as a Founding Partner. The commission is committed to building positive relationships in the community and creating a safe space where all people feel heard. Over the past year, several Black Hills Energy…
  • Black Hills Energy was honored to be a part of the Gibbon, Nebraska, Chamber of Commerce Fourth of July parade! Staff and their families from the Kearney, Nebraska, office enjoyed being a part of this long-standing annual tradition. A Black Hills Energy car, service truck and go-kart van were…
  • Energy efficiency and good ol’ fashioned summer fun came together in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, in late June as Black Hills Energy continued its annual sponsorship of the Strawberry Days weekend. Black Hills Energy Ambassador Mario Santana, who doubles as a Glenwood-based materials coordinator,…