Town Pump prepares for annual food bank fundraiser

As ever-increasing food costs and other everyday expenses push more Montanans to local food banks for help, the Town Pump Charitable Foundation is again matching over $1 million to help raise $4 million during its annual fundraising campaign for food banks, including the Plains Community Food Pantry and Community Harvest Food Bank and Gospel Mountain Assembly of God Food Pantry, both in Thompson Falls.

A record 110 food banks statewide are participating this year in the “Be A Friend in Deed” campaign, which originated in 2001. The campaign has raised over $48 million for Montana food banks in 21 years, including over $10 million in matching grants from the Town Pump Charitable Foundation. The campaign runs through Nov. 30.

Locally, the Foundation is matching up to $9,000 each for the Plains Community Food Pantry and the Community Food Bank of Mineral County. All funds raised in the respective communities will stay within the communities.

The money is frequently 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.

“Our local food banks are working at maximum capacity serving more and more families dealing with rising costs of groceries and other household items,” said Bill McGladdery of the Town Pump Charitable Foundation. “Please join Town Pump and our dedicated food bank partners in making a difference in the lives of our hungry neighbors by donating today at our businesses or directly to your local food bank.”

Donations for the campaign are being collected at local Town Pumps and can be made by mail to the Community Food Pantry at P.O. Box 767 in Plains, 59859, or to Community Harvest at P.O. Box 314 and Gospel Mountain Assembly of God at P.O. Box 1029, both in Thompson Falls, 59873.