Mission Valley Food Pantry moves to bigger location
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
ST. IGNATIUS — The Mission Valley Food Pantry has operated in buildings that once were old liquor stores and hotels. It recently moved to a bigger location, the old Mission Lumber building, to further serve the growing number of families in the area.
According to Director Heidi Riddle, the food pantry has gone from serving 54 families last year to 100 in 2011.
“The economy is part of the growing number (of families being served) and food prices have gone up,” Riddle said and added that food bank services are determined by family size and income.
In the food pantry’s old building across town, it was divided into two small rooms. Riddle said they would often get several families in at once and it would be very crowded. Their new building offers one large room with a smaller back room.
“A lot of times families would commute together and we would get many people in that one small room,” Riddle said.
Riddle and several members of the food pantry board held an open house last week to inform the public of their new location.
Jo Ann Roullier, who has served on the board for eight years, praised the help of local churches and schools for holding food drives that help stock shelves.
“The food bank is the first defense against hunger and provides three or four days worth of food,” Roullier said.
Though the Montana Food Bank Network provides the majority of the food, it is not atypical to receive a ton or more of food from drives held by the local high school. In addition to non-perishable items such as canned goods, the food bank also offers fresh vegetables and frozen meat. Riddle said often local people donate excess items from their gardens.
2010 St. Ignatius High School graduate Trail Bundy volunteered at the food bank during his sophomore year and junior year.
“I loved working there,” Bundy said. “The food pantry is a symbol of hope. No matter how bad things get, anyone can get the help they need from the food pantry.“
Bundy was an integral part of the food bank’s move into their new building. He approached several entities in the community to facilitate the move.
“There are a lot of amazing people who work at the pantry,” Bundy said. “I knew this would benefit the staff as well as the heart of the community.”
