In A Nutshell: Creating long-term impact through collaboration

One in 12 Montanans struggles to put meals on the tables. Food pantries, like North Valley Food Bank (NVFB), across the state and the entire country have provided emergency food assistance for over 45 years. Despite millions of pounds of food distributed, we have not ended hunger in our communities.

Amidst this disheartening reality, we all learned that we can’t find solutions to food insecurity in isolation but instead have to address its root causes, poverty and systemic inequalities. One of the most effective ways to shorten the line at our local food pantries is to join forces with other nonprofits. In our own communities here in the Flathead Valley, the main issues leading to food insecurity include the lack of affordable housing, insufficient wages, limited access to childcare, high medical costs, and inadequate mental health services.

At NVFB, we are in the unique position in that community members often seek our help before reaching out to other social service organizations. Through regular interactions, we can establish trusted relationships, help our customers on their, often long, pathways to self-sufficiency and well-being and truly address food insecurity with the help of referrals. Further, through shared advocacy we can inspire systemic changes on the local, state, and federal level. The missions of our partners below often complement our own and together we can strengthen our communities!

NVFB works closely with the other food access organizations in the Flathead Valley, including the NW Montana Veterans Food Pantry, the Flathead Food Bank, Land to Hand, and the Backpack Assistance Program. With our local food bank partners, we ensure that we provide the most efficient and effective services without duplicating efforts and coordinate geographic and programmatic priorities. Further, we share donated food, purchase food jointly and advocate for federal benefits furthering food access for our customers. With Land to Hand and the Backpack Assistance Program, we work on creative solutions to promote healthy, fresh and local foods for kids in our communities. Further, we educate customers about Land to Hand’s Food Rx, Senior Coupons, and Double SNAP Dollars programs to make local produce available to everyone.

Housing related issues are one of the leading causes for people to access services at NVFB. Because of this, it is important for us to support the work of Housing Whitefish which improves community housing options in our town. Twenty percent of our customers don’t have stable homes, live at shelters, in hotels, stay with friends, or often live in their vehicles. We are grateful to have organizations such as the Flathead Warming Center and the Samaritan House in our community to whom we can refer customers, especially during the hard Montanan winters.

Other organizations we refer our customers to include Shepherd’s Hand Free Clinic for free medical and dental services for customers who do not otherwise have access to healthcare, the Nurturing Center for childcare scholarships for working parents over the summers, FVCC for customers interested in education in the culinary arts, and the Abbie Shelter for customers who are survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

The African proverb ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ Reminds me of the importance of these collaborations daily. We are fortunate to live and work in a community with an incredible network of nonprofit organizations. Our partnerships help us provide holistic support, create a comprehensive safety net, and offer pathways to stability.

Sophie Albert is the executive director of North Valley Food Bank. Albert provides insights into happenings at the food bank, rural food insecurity, stories of the community and more in the monthly Whitefish Pilot column titled, In a Nutshell.