THE APEX TIMES
The program pairs community food donations with discounted zoo admission through Dare to Care, according to local reporting.
The Louisville Zoo is bringing back its annual “Dare to Care” food drive, a community effort that ties non-perishable food donations to discounted tickets for zoo visitors, WAVE reported on Nov. 3, 2026.
Under the program, guests who donate non-perishable items to Dare to Care receive discounted admission to the Louisville Zoo. The drive is described as annual, and the zoo’s participation reflects a recurring partnership aimed at increasing food support for local needs through the fall season.
WAVE’s report states that the discount is tied directly to each non-perishable item donation. The promotion is designed so that families visiting the zoo can bundle a public outing with a straightforward way to contribute food items that emergency and community feeding programs can use.
Dare to Care is positioned in the report as the receiving organization for the donated food items. The zoo’s admission discount effectively turns the donation into part of the visitor experience, with the terms connected to bringing food rather than using other forms of payment incentives.
Because the reporting provided in the discovery packet focuses on the return of the drive and the structure of the discount tied to donations, some practical details such as the specific start and end dates, the exact list of acceptable items, and the redemption process were not included in the material used for this draft.
Still, the announced return indicates that the zoo will again serve as a public collection point during the promotion window, channeling donations from members of the community who plan to visit the zoo into the food-distribution pipeline associated with Dare to Care.
Organizers and participating partners typically rely on predictable seasonal demand for food assistance, and the zoo’s recurring effort suggests the program is intended to be accessible for visitors without requiring separate fundraising events or additional steps beyond bringing items at the time of participation, as described in the local report.
Members of the public seeking to participate are expected to follow the zoo’s and Dare to Care’s directions for what counts as a non-perishable donation and how guests redeem the discount at admission. For those relying on the promotion, confirming the program’s dates and requirements before visiting would be necessary to ensure the donation can be credited for the ticket offer.
