Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is partnering with Harvest Hope Food Bank for the return of Toucan Tuesdays. Beginning this Tuesday, June 6, guests visiting Riverbanks will receive buy-one-get-one admission to the park and buy-one-get-one ICEEs with a donation of two cans (or bags and boxes) of non-perishable food items.
Toucan Tuesdays will take place 10 consecutive Tuesdays through August 8. Donation bins will be located at both the Zoo and Garden entrances. There is no limit to the number of Tuesdays guests can donate to take advantage of discounted admission.
“This time of year is the perfect opportunity for families to get outside and enjoy the outdoors together, but for many of our neighbors, especially children, it’s a time when hunger is experienced the most,” said Erinn Rowe, CEO of Harvest Hope Food Bank. “We’re so excited for our yearly partnership with Riverbanks Zoo and Garden to help bring awareness to food insecurity in our state and bring in food donations for our neighbors who are struggling to put food on the table.”
Harvest Hope’s most needed items include canned vegetables, canned proteins like chicken and tuna, one-pound bags of dried beans, and one-pound boxes of pasta. The goal this summer is to collect 5,000 pounds of food, which would equate to about 3,900 meals.
In 2022 Zoo guests generated nearly 1,900 pounds of food for Harvest Hope. The promotion had to be shelved in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID-related restrictions but has brought in a total of 44,646 pounds of food since the partnership began in 2010.
Toucan Tuesdays will take place every Tuesday, June 6 – August 8. The promotion applies to general admission rates only (purchase one admission and get the second for equal or lesser value free; Explorer wristbands and Riverbanks’ memberships are not included).
