The Safe Shelter of the St. Vrain Valley is asking for food and monetary donations after one of its freezers failed over the weekend, causing hundreds of pounds of food to spoil.

Wendy Merriam, who is a family advocate at the shelter, said that one of the refrigerator-sized freezer’s defrost mechanism malfunctioned over the weekend. Before the staff noticed, hundreds of pounds of meat and other frozen food spoiled.

The food is used to feed people who are escaping domestic violence and are staying at the shelter. Merriam said the shelter’s greatest emergency need is ground beef, chicken or other inexpensive meat, but they’ll take any food.

People can bring donations to the office at 82 21st Ave. in Longmont between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Donations can be made over the weekend by calling 303-772-0432 and a shelter advocate can meet someone with donations at the office.

The shelter also is accepting monetary donations designated for food purchases.