Libby, Troy food pantries to benefit from Town Pump charity

The Town Pump Charitable Foundation hopes to raise more than $2 million in its 11th annual fundraising campaign for food banks across Montana, including the Libby Food Pantry, the Troy Food Pantry and the Community Services Fellowship in Noxon.

Food bank representatives locally and statewide report an ever-growing demand to feed the hungry in Montana. A record 67 food banks across Montana are participating in the “Be A Friend in Deed, Helping Those In Need” campaign this year.

The campaign has raised more than $10.5 million for food banks statewide in 10 years, including $1.8 million in matching grants from the Town Pump Charitable Foundation. 

As part of this year’s campaign, the Town Pump Charitable Foundation will match up to $450,000 in contributions to Montana food banks made now through Nov. 30. That amount is $50,000 more than last year. 

Locally, the Foundation will match up to $4,000 on behalf of the Libby Food Pantry, $3,000 on behalf of the Troy Food Pantry, and $2,500 on behalf of the Community Services Fellowship in Noxon. All funds raised will benefit the local communities exclusively. 

The money is used to purchase perishable food items such as milk, bread, fruit and vegetables. Also, the funds are becoming more crucial in helping many food bank organizations simply stay open through payment of rent, utilities and space for storage, refrigeration and freezing.

“We’ve really been promoting it,” said Kathy Lauer, of the Libby Food Pantry. 

Demand for the Pantry’s services is definitely up, she said. The Town Pump campaign, Lauer added, is especially important this year to help make up for shortfalls in other funding sources.

“And the holidays are coming up,” she said. “We really need to reach this matching donation. Libby is a really giving town.” 

Lauer said she’s confident that will happen.

Susan Grabinski, of Troy Food Pantry, said the Town Pump fundraiser “is more important this year than ever” because the Pantry has lost funding from other sources, including the Emergency Food and Shelter Program.

She said the Troy Food Pantry has been serving more clients than ever before.

“The Town Pump fundraiser really does help us,” she said. “We wouldn’t be able to give out the amount or the variety of food we do without this program.”

Donations for the campaign are being collected at the local Town Pumps, Lucky Lil’s and Lucky Logger casinos. Donations also can be sent directly to Libby Food Pantry, P.O. Box 311, 59923 or to the Troy Food Pantry, 459 Foote Road, 59935.