Bigfork Food Bank breaks ground on new building

The Bigfork Food Bank is on its way toward having a new facility.

Despite having upgraded in space size about five years ago, the pantry has been bursting at the seams. The pantry distributes over 4,000 pounds of food every month, and its clientele keeps growing. The pantry now serves almost double the number of families it did when it moved into their current space.

In January, an anonymous donor decided to purchase land near NAPA Auto Parts, so the pantry could build a new space that would better accommodate their needs.

The Food Bank broke ground on its new building last month and is hoping to have the facility completed by early fall, Food Bank director Ann Tucker said.

Though they have started construction, the food bank isn’t anywhere near having enough funding to pay for the project. They were able to start construction thanks to a bank loan, but Tucker would like to get the loan paid off quickly.

The total cost of the new facility is $365,000. The food bank has only raised $65,000 for the project so far.

The Food Bank hopes to raise all of the funds through donations and fundraising.

“I think there are enough people in Bigfork who have a heart for what we’re doing,” Tucker said.

Besides being cramped for space, there are other reasons the Bigfork Food Bank needs the new facility, Tucker said.

One of those reasons is health codes. Though the Food Bank does not cook food, they do re-bag items such as flour, and coffee that they purchase in bulk. The Food Bank likes to buy in bulk because it is less expensive, and the volunteers try to stretch the money they get as far as possible. Because they are repackaging items, Montana State Law requires them to have four sinks on site, one each for washing, rising, sanitizing and hand washing. At the Food Bank’s current space the only sink is in the bathroom.

Another reason is lack of freezer space. Though the pantry is tight for non-perishable storage, it’s even tighter on freezer space. There have been numerous instances, Tucker said, where they have been offered a large donation of meat, they’ve had to turn down, because there was no room in their freezers.

The new building will be about twice the size of the current space, which is about 2,500 square feet. It will be designed specifically to fit the pantry’s needs, and will include a walk-in freezer.

In 2014 the Bigfork Food Bank distributed over 67,000 pounds of food to 110 households.

In one recent distribution, the food bank served 132 people, Bigfork Food Bank director Ann Tucker said.

They distribute on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month, providing a family with three days worth of food. Families must be at 150 percent of poverty to receive food from the pantry.

In order to make their new building, and dreams of continuing to improve the services of the Bigfork Food Bank a reality, they have also stepped away from the Flathead Food Bank Network, and become their own nonprofit organization. Though they are still part of the Montana Food Bank Network.

Any donations can be sent to the Bigfork Food Bank Fundraising Account, P.O. Box 850, Bigfork MT 59911. For information call  Tucker at 837-3179 or 250-4546.