Federal food distribution resumes in county

After halting their operation for three months, volunteers with the Lincoln County Food Box Distribution Program announced they are set to resume their meal giveaways for those in need.

Roxanna Escudero, program organizer, said she learned the Montana Food Bank Network approved a new round of deliveries for Libby and Troy residents on Jan. 22. Starting Feb. 11, local volunteers will begin distributing food boxes at the Assembly of God Church parking lot.

“I was pretty excited because I think it’s an important program for our area,” said Escudero.

According to data released by the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Lincoln County had the second highest unemployment rate statewide in December at 7.5 percent.

Escudero expects this latest distribution round to run through April 30. She hopes to hold food giveaways every Thursday. Those who come to pick up meals can expect to receive a produce box and a meat and dairy box.

While the contents of the boxes are subject to change, Escudero said they currently contain five pounds of potatoes, three pounds of onions, three to four pounds of oranges, apples or pears, five to six pounds of yogurt and cheese, one gallon of 2 percent milk and five to six pounds of fully cooked meat.

Volunteers will distribute boxes from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Each household is only eligible to receive one box. Escudero said drivers will not be allowed to pick up boxes for neighbors or friends. People representing multiple households can, however, ride to the distribution center in the same car.

The first couple food giveaways may take longer than expected as volunteers are working with a new distributor, Share Farm Inc. based out of Spokane. Weather may also lead to delays.

Escudero said the program will not be conducting deliveries. While she understands that there are many homebound residents who would benefit from the meals, Escudero said she couldn’t put the safety of her volunteers at risk.

“I want to be able to deliver to those people,” she said, “I just don’t want to put [volunteers] out there on those icy roads.”

Volunteers will drive two trailer-loads worth of food to Troy for distribution. MaryAnn Gromley, the event organizer in charge of the Troy effort, said Feb. 5 that she was still uncertain where volunteers would be handing out boxes.

Escudero noted that program volunteers work hard to make the food deliveries possible. Many take a day off from work to help and show up at the distribution center as early as 7 a.m.

“Our payment is knowing that we made a difference in someone’s life and in our community,” Escudero wrote in a social media post.

The food giveaway is part of a national distribution network, known as Farmers to Families, set up by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in response to the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent economic disruption. Federal officials have set aside up to $6 billion to purchase fresh produce, dairy and meat products from American producers. By the end of the latest round, the program will have delivered approximately 134.3 million boxes of food.

In past cycles, the Lincoln County program has helped support 1,456 families.