Town Pump food bank fundraiser nearing end

The Town Pump Charitable Foundation is in the middle of their “Be A Friend In Deed, Help Those In Need” annual campaign to raise money in Montana, including for the Havre Food Bank.

Town Pump Charitable Foundation Director Bill McGladdery said the campaign is a way for the foundation to partner with food banks across the state to help them raise funds for operating expenses.

The campaign started Oct. 1 and will run through Saturday, Nov. 30.

“Food banks do very well receiving canned goods and other food products, but they have utilities and rent and perishable items they need to purchase, so we partner with them so that way they can raise funds for those expenses,” he said.

He added that people can donate at any Town Pump business, convenience store, casino and the Quality Inn.

People who would like to drop off donations at Town Pump locations need to put “Attention Food Bank” on the envelope, or they can do it during business hours of the Havre Food Bank at 53 Seventh Ave. North, just past the Milk River Bridge on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or at District 4 Human Resources Development Council at 2229 Fifth Ave.

He said as of Friday, in Havre, they have raised more than $5,000 compared to $1,725.87 for the entire campaign last year.

The foundation will match $750,000 in donations statewide, and up to $10,000 in Havre.

“Every dollar they donate in Havre whether it’s at one of our locations or at the food bank stays in Havre, it doesn’t go to any other communities or gets moved to other parts of the state,” McGladdery said. “If someone is donating at the Town Pump that dollar is matched and it stays in Havre.”

“What it is for us is that it’s a dollar for dollar match program, so every dollar that’s donated is matched up to $10,000,” food bank Manager Samantha Nimmick said.

The goal is whatever the Town Pump will match that year, she said.

As of Friday, Nimmick said she received a message from her supervisor that the Havre Food Banks is $3,000 short of their goal.

“We only got like two weeks left to be able to meet that $10,000, so as many donations as you can send in we’d really appreciate them,” she said.

“Last year, during the campaign, including what the campaigns collected and donations from our customers and the Town Pump match grant, we raised $3.7 million,” McGladdery said. “We are hoping to break $4 million this year.”

One in 9 Montanans are food insecure, so Town Pumps’ objective in partnering with the food banks is to help make sure there is food available for the Montana neighbors, he added.

“The Town Pump Charitable Foundation has been in existence for 20 years with the mission of meeting basic needs of Montana citizens through both non-profit and governmental organizations,” he said.

“It means everything to us with that match program. It helps us cover everything throughout the year from extra food items that we need to buy that we don’t receive donations for, the overhead costs like vehicle insurance and gas,” Nimmick said. “It also helps cover some of our holiday box stuff. We do three boxes throughout the year Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s probably our biggest financial fundraiser of the year.”