On Thursday night, dozens of people gathered for a meal they wouldn’t forget — not because of what was served, but because of what wasn’t. The Food Bank of the Rockies flipped the idea of a traditional dinner on its head with its second annual “A Night With(out),” a stark, emotional, and eye-opening experiment designed to make guests feel the pinch of food insecurity.
This wasn’t your average fundraising banquet.
Experiencing Hunger by Design
Guests didn’t walk in to find white tablecloths or a multi-course spread.
Instead, they were handed a limited sum of fake currency and directed to choose their meals based on tight budgets, mimicking what it’s like for families who stretch dollars every day just to feed themselves.
“We want people to feel it, not just hear about it,” said Sue Ellen Rodwick, the Food Bank’s Western Slope Director.
Some participants ended up with just a can of soup and a small roll. Others made tradeoffs — cheaper frozen items over fresh produce.
It felt real because for many, it is real.
From Caviar Dreams to Ramen Reality
The event drew about 100 attendees — donors, volunteers, community leaders, and even some families.
Among them was Paula Anderson, a local nutritionist who said the word “immersion” is what sold her on attending.
“I’m shocked,” she said, pausing. “There’s this level of food insecurity here? In Grand Junction? These are people I see in the store. People I wave to.”
She left with more questions than answers. And that, organizers say, was exactly the point.
Eating Cheap Comes at a Cost
Executive Chef Jon Knight, who led the food experience side of the evening, said one of the starkest realities people overlook is how unaffordable healthy food can be when money is tight.
Processed food is cheaper. But cheaper doesn’t mean better.
“You want to buy whole ingredients, but your money won’t go far,” Knight said. “So you compromise. That’s what food insecurity looks like — compromise.”
Guests learned that with $20, their food choices looked very different depending on nutritional value:
| Food Type | Quantity You Can Buy with $20 | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Unhealthy | High | Frozen pizza, instant noodles, soda |
| Healthy | Low | Fresh vegetables, lean meat, whole grains |
The tradeoff? Health vs. volume. Most people picked the latter. Understandably.
One Night. One Message.
Some left the event teary-eyed. Others left frustrated. All left changed in some way.
Gabriela Garayar, Senior Development Manager at the food bank, said the event’s purpose wasn’t just awareness. It was solidarity.
“Hunger is at a 10-year high,” she said. “And the need keeps growing. People think it’s just the homeless, but it’s your barista, your mechanic, your child’s schoolmate.”
One attendee — who asked not to be named — whispered that they had once lived through food insecurity themselves.
“It’s not just a feeling of hunger. It’s shame. Guilt. Exhaustion.”
A pause. Then, quietly: “No one should go through that.”
What $20 Teaches You
Midway through the evening, guests were asked to reflect on their meal and jot down thoughts. The messages ranged from blunt to heartbreaking. A few examples:
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“I thought $20 would get me a decent meal. I was wrong.”
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“I had to choose between feeding myself and my kid. Even pretend, it hurt.”
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“I get it now. I really do.”
Knight, the chef, watched from the corner of the room. He looked proud, but somber.
“This isn’t a dinner,” he said. “It’s a reality check.”
The Hidden Cost of Doing Without
Rodwick said the concept for “A Night With(out)” grew out of a desire to make giving more than just a transaction.
“Donating is great,” she said. “But living it? Even for a night? That’s where empathy really begins.”
Participants had to choose whether to “spend” on healthy foods or go for maximum calories.
Only one or two people managed to buy something fresh.
Others walked away with bags of shelf-stable, processed meals — high in sodium, low in nutrition, but filling enough.
One guest, holding a tray with just applesauce and crackers, said softly, “This is what lunch looks like for a lot of kids.”
A Community Reintroduced to Its Own Hunger
The mood after dinner wasn’t quiet — it was heavy.
Everyone had eaten something. But no one felt full.
Organizers hoped that the discomfort would linger — not just as guilt, but as understanding.
