Local food banks, soup kitchen receiving COVID-19 grants

Havre Daily News staff

Town Pump Charitable Foundation is helping people out during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Foundation is providing $1 million in grants to food banks and other assistance organizations, including $10,000 to the Havre Community Food Bank and $1,000 to Feed My Sheep Soup Kitchen; $2,000 to the Harlem Food Bank, $2,000 to the Chester Food Bank; $5,000 to the Chinook Food Bank, and $7,500 to the Choteau County Food Bank, which serves communities including Big Sandy, Fort Benton and Highwood.

The money will be sent directly to 100 food banks, food pantries and shelters in 83 Montana communities.

“This is Montanans helping Montanans,” Foundation Director Bill McGladdery said in a press release. “Town Pump recognizes the urgency to help out our neighbors now as food insecurity grows in this unprecedented emergency.”

Food bank representatives said the pandemic has put additional financial strains on families who were already vulnerable and needing food assistance.

In the past three weeks the number of families served with emergency food boxes grew 30 percent, Helena Food Share Executive Director Bruce Day said in the press release. At the same time, he said, food banks are experiencing gaps in the sources of food available to distribute.

“Having the resources to be able to purchase food and ensure a steady supply is so important now,” he said.

The foundation said no local match is needed in the grants and they will not impact the amounts distributed from its “Be A Friend In Deed, Help Those In Need,” fall food bank fundraising campaign.