Pantry need increases during holidays
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ST. IGNATIUS — The Mission Valley Food Pantry has been busier than usual as the holiday season draws near. Director Heidi Riddle said she encourages more food and money donations to help local families and individuals as Thanksgiving and Christmas nears.
“This is a holiday season and everyone hopes to (serve) a turkey,” she said. “But they are really expensive.”
The USDA supply of commodities, including frozen meat, was reduced in federal budgets. This affected the amount available to the Montana Food Bank Network by about half and Riddle said the decrease in funding has put a strain on local food banks.
The food pantry is handing out $10 dollar certificates to buy meat, but Riddle noted this is probably not enough. The gift certificates were purchased with money donations.
“Ninety-eight percent of the money that is donated to (Mission Valley Food Pantry) is used to buy food. Our utilities are low and everyone volunteers. I really try to spend the money on just food,” she said.
The most popular and needed food donations are canned vegetables and soups in addition to cereals, Riddle added. But any canned goods are helpful since they are non-perishable. Wild game meat is accepted as long as it is professionally processed.
KERR radio has put a food basket inside Rod’s Harvest Food so people can donate to the food pantry. Riddle said the basket has already collected 100 or more pounds of food. The St. Ignatius Catholic Church has donated 90 pounds and at the end of Mack Days, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes donated three ice chests full of filleted fish. “It’s really helpful,” Riddle said of the donations. The Mission Valley Food Pantry is open Tuesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Donations are welcomed during these business hours or food donations can be dropped off the basket inside Rod’s Harvest Foods. Money donations can also be mailed to P.O. Box 644, St. Ignatius, MT. 59265.
