Town Pump doubles donation to Food Bank

The Whitefish Town Pump doubled its donation this year to North Valley Food Bank as part of its annual fundraiser.

Town Pump raised and donated $1,923 through the Spokane Avenue convenience store and casino, on top of the $6,000 matching contribution that comes from the Town Pump Charitable Foundation.

Each year, Town Pump Charitable Foundation contributes matching grant dollars to food security organizations across the state. In addition to the $750,000 in matching grants in 2019, local Town Pumps raise money through their convenience stores.

Last year, Whitefish Town Pump raised $893 for North Valley Food Bank, but this year they more than doubled that total.

“I am incredibly impressed by the local Town Pump team’s efforts during the 2019 holiday season,” said Food Bank Executive Director, Jessy Lee. “To more than double local fundraising efforts in one year is a tremendous feat. This is 100 percent the efforts of the local staff. They made this happen.”

Local Town Pump staff visited North Valley Food Bank for a tour of the facility before the holiday campaign began.

“The fact that their team was so highly engaged from the beginning is really special,” Lee noted. “I believe that their commitment from the beginning is what created such a successful local campaign.”

North Valley Food Bank has experienced a 20% increase in services since increasing their distribution hours last October. They served 40% more new clients in 2019 than 2018 and anticipate a continued trajectory of growth.

“While we would ultimately like to put ourselves out of business by eliminating hunger, we realize that’s not a possibility right now. Instead, we want to make sure we are accessible to every single person in our community who needs help keeping their families fed,” Lee said. “Growth in services require a growth in financial resources for the food bank. Businesses like Town Pump have really stepped up to the plate and taken ownership of a commitment to helping us stay ahead of the financial curve. We’re very lucky.”

To donate to North Valley Food Bank, visit their website at www.northvalleyfoodbank.org or stop into their office at 251 Flathead Avenue.