Archived Story

Kindness of strangers: Missoula Food Bank hails heroes who help keep neighbors fed as number in need continues to grow
By MICHAEL MOORE of the Missoulian

A volunteer of eight years, Margaret Rogers sorts and stocks canned food at the Missoula Food Bank one morning last week.
Photo by LINDA THOMPSON/Missoulian
With the nation's economy in free-fall, you might not expect folks at the Missoula Food Bank to be in a celebratory mood.

But they are.

Although the food bank at 219 S. Third St. W. is seeing record numbers of people in need of food, the need is somehow being met.

“What we're seeing is people in Missoula responding in unprecedented ways, with both food and money,” said development director Nick Roberts. “It's been so heartening to see how other people have recognized the needs in our community.”

Roberts said the pantry has seen about 25 percent to 30 percent more people this year over 2007.

“We're averaging 5,000 clients per month right now,” he said.

But Missoula has responded to the increased need with ever more food and money. The pantry gave away a record 1,300 donated turkeys over three days before Thanksgiving, and Roberts said people have pitched in in every imaginable way, from volunteering time to donating food and money.

“People are recognizing the magnitude of what others are facing now and responding in a way that is incredibly caring,” Roberts said.

And now people have another chance to pitch in, as the Food Bank opens its largest campaign of the year, the Holiday Drive. The drive is the Food Bank's 23rd, and it accounts for the largest influx of money and food that the nonprofit takes in over the year.

Last year, the drive netted $121,000 and 85,000 pounds of food.

“Those are the highest numbers we've ever seen,” said Roberts.

The drive starts Tuesday, Dec. 9, when grocery bags with pertinent food drive information will be delivered in the Missoulian.

The bags will have drop-off information printed on them, along with times and dates for the drive, which is set to end on Dec. 23.

In general, you can drop off food at any city or rural fire station in the Missoula area. But you can also drop food off at the Missoulian, the Missoula Family YMCA, all locations of First Security Bank and at the Auto Glass Center at 1105 N. Russell St.

For cash donations, mail a check to the Missoula Food Bank at 219 S. Third St. W., Missoula, 59801. You can also donate online by going to missoulafoodbank.org.

All donations are tax-deductible.

“We know times are hard, and we're only asking people to give within their means,” said Roberts. “We're asking them to take part in the celebration of the amazing community response we've already seen.”

Reporter Michael Moore can be reached at 523-5252 or at mmoore@missoulian.com

 

Coming up in the Missoulian

Pick up Tuesday's Missoulian for a grocery bag to fill with donations for the Missoula Food Bank and a list of drop-off locations.
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