Garfield County Chiefs Trade Badges for Bunks to Fight Hunger

Grand Junction —The air in Garfield County is crisp, the kind of cold that bites through a jacket before you even reach your car. It’s the kind of season where the difference between having dinner and not is a matter of logistics, groceries, and SNAP benefits. In this valley, one in eight adults faces food insecurity. One in six children does too.

To combat that statistic, the police chiefs of Garfield and Pitkin counties are trading their badges for bunks. They are being "arrested" as part of Locked Up for Lift-Up, a holiday fundraiser where participants must raise enough cash to meet their designated "bond" amounts to secure their release. The money goes directly to Lift-Up, a local organization fighting hunger during the most expensive time of year.

Samantha Freese, Executive Director of Lift-Up, called the concept "kind of a silly fundraiser idea." She recruited every municipal police chief in the region, plus the Pitkin County Sheriff. "We also have real estate agents and staff from Lift-Up participating, including me," Freese told the Post Independent. The goal is friendly competition: see who can raise the most "bond" money. Participants choose their own target, keeping the ask comfortable for both the participant and the donor.

Let’s do the math on why this matters. Lift-Up operates with an annual food budget of $500,000. That funds five stationary food pantries and two mobile sites. A third mobile site is scheduled to open in January. Through their Extended Table program, the organization serves approximately 1,200 meals a month in Glenwood Springs and Rifle.

The need is climbing. Freese reported that program demand is projected to increase by 6% next year. She attributed the spike to SNAP benefit cutbacks and rising living costs. "Our programs are going up and we’re seeing the need go up 6% this next year," she said. "I think it’s because of SNAP benefit cutbacks and the cost of living going up."

The campaign aims to raise $100,000. That is a significant chunk of their operating budget, but it addresses the gap created by shrinking federal support and local inflation.

New Castle Police Chief Stewart Curry, who has held the position for about a year, joined the lineup. "I’m honored Lift-Up would ask us to do this," Curry said in a statement to the Post Independent. "Because we’re happy to raise money for such a good cause, we have a lot of food insecurity in the area, so we’re asking for our 'bond' money to help out."

He is not alone. The roster of "inmates" includes:

• Rifle Police Chief Tommy Klein
• Aspen Police Chief Kim Ferber
• Parachute Police Chief Samuel Stewart
• Basalt Police Chief Aaron Munch
• Silt Police Chief Deric Gress
• Pitkin County Sheriff Michael Buglione

Freese emphasized that donors can give whatever amount they are comfortable with. She hopes smaller, frequent donations will make participation manageable for the community while still moving the needle on that $100,000 goal. "It’s important for the community to come together for the holiday season," she said.

For locals, this is a straightforward transaction. You give money to free a local official from a figurative jail cell, and that money buys groceries for neighbors who are struggling to keep up with the cost of living. You can select a specific participant and donate via givebutter.com/Lockedupforliftup.

The practical impact is immediate: every dollar raised reduces the strain on Lift-Up’s $500,000 annual budget at a moment when demand is rising by 6%. The chiefs are behind bars until the bond is paid. It’s up to you to decide if they get out before the holidays are over.