Food pantries sustain needy families through winter months
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LAKE COUNTY – According to the nonprofit Feeding America, more than 4,000 Lake County residents did not have access to enough food to support a healthy, active life in 2017.
Without nutritious food, people become susceptible to illness and less able to achieve academically and socially, according to Feeding America. Lake County’s food pantries help local families.
The Mission Valley Food Pantry in St. Ignatius is open each Tuesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., although they are closed the last Friday of the month and open on Saturday instead. The pantry serves about 100 families.
The pantry operates with donations of food and money and is in the process of expanding. In the coming months, a new room will be added to the building. The facility isn’t big enough to efficiently store all the donations they get.
“This new area is going to help us not have to move everything around every time we get a new shipment,” said director Heidi Riddle.
A community member donated a truck that the food pantry raffled off on Dec. 17. The organization quickly sold off the 1,000 tickets it had available. Alexander Felix won the truck. The food pantry made $4,165 selling tickets. Proceeds from the raffle will go to a construction project. A new room will be enclosed for food storage. Students from the St. Ignatius School District will be involved in the construction project.
For Thanksgiving, the pantry gave out turkeys, and clients received hams for Christmas. Families can get food from the pantry once a month. Those who earn up to 200 percent of the federal poverty line qualify for services at the food pantry.
Riddle said the food pantry’s biggest need is volunteers. Donations are accepted when the pantry is open. Those looking for more information can call 406-745-5484.
The Ronan Bread Basket is open Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The pantry serves about 300 families. A family can pick up food once a month. “We give them as much food as we possibly can,” said volunteer and board member Marge Coursen.
The food pantry gave clients turkeys and chickens for Thanksgiving and did the same for Christmas. The pantry relies on donations from local churches and organizations. Last year, one church’s soup drive brought in over 3,000 pounds of soup. Local grocery stores also donate food. In the summer, local farmers and gardeners donate produce.
A signature feature of the Ronan pantry is the pet food pantry. According to Coursen, the program has been in place for about two years. It’s been very popular. “People who need food have pets too,” Coursen said.
Those interested in volunteering at the food pantry should call 406-676-4357 or stop in during open hours. Volunteers are needed during food distribution and can choose the frequency with which they’d like to help out.
Those who would like to use the food pantry’s services should stop by during open hours to fill out an application. The food pantry provides services to those who are unemployed, and those who work but do not earn enough to purchase the food they need.
The Polson Loaves and Fish Food Pantry distributes food every Tuesday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Community food drives provide a lot of the food the pantry distributes. Grocery stores also donate.
One of the pantry’s biggest events of the year is its Christmas meal distribution. Clients can take home a turkey and all the fixings for a Christmas feast. Some clients get up to 100 pounds of food for their Christmas meal.
In terms of donations, cereal is the pantry’s biggest need. The pantry can always use volunteers. Those who are interested in volunteering or donating should stop by the pantry or call 406-883-6864.
People interested in getting food from the pantry should stop in to register. Two forms of identification are needed and a proof of address within the Polson food pantry’s distribution area. The Polson pantry serves those as far as Elmo and Big Arm. The pantry never turns away anyone in need.
