Food bank celebrates founder with several events this month
Boxes of food sit outside North Valley Food Bank waiting to be distributed. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
North Valley Food Bank is celebrating its founder the late June Munski-Feenan this month with a food drive, a fundraiser and an open house.
In 1977, Munski-Feenan and her friends started to provide food to community members in need. The efforts later blossomed into her founding North Valley Food Bank from her garage. Currently, the food bank moves more than 100,000 pounds of food monthly through its building.
Through June 26, the food bank is collecting healthy, non-perishable foods to help neighbors in need. The food bank is looking for donations of healthy foods to assist families during the summer months while school is out. Suggested donations include apple sauce, shelf-stable soups, trail mix, canned meat, canned seafood, grains, canned fruits and vegetables, honey, coconut oil, canned olives, nuts, seeds, dried herbs and spices, beans and snack items.
Donation bins can be found at North Valley Food Bank, the WAVE, Third Street Market, Safeway, Super One and Markus Foods.
Those who would like to sponsor a family’s weekly groceries are asked to visit the food bank’s website at northvalleyfoodbank.org.
As part of its capital campaign fundraiser, the food bank is inviting the community to donate and help decorate the foyer of its building with hand-painted tiles. A launch of the tile campaign at Stumptown Art Studio is set for Munski-Feenan’s birthday, on June 23, from 1 to 3 p.m. Blank tiles available for those who have donated to the capital campaign.
The food bank is hosting an open house on June 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. inviting the community to hear the latest updates about the food bank and provide tours of the building to share why a remodel of the building is necessary.