Wholesalers, retailers mount drives
By Cole Boehler
When our communities and citizens need help, they often turn to their local watering holes, eateries and gaming parlors – their licensed hospitality businesses.
These business are asked over and over, and give again and again, whether it's to sponsor a local softball team or to put on a fundraising event for an ill neighbor.
Two Montana companies have developed a reputation when it comes to helping provide quality food for needy families around the state. Afterall, nutrition is so fundamental.
Thompson Distributing, southwest Montana's Anheuser-Busch beer wholesaler, and Town Pump, the Montana company with convenience stores, taverns and casinos state-wide, are perhaps the most visible entities working to shore up the state's food banks.
Now, a record number of residents are receiving food stamps. The Town Pump Charitable Foundation aims to help by raising more than $1.5 million this year during its eighth annual fundraising campaign for Montana food banks.
As part of the campaign, the Town Pump Charitable Foundation will match up to $300,000 in contributions to Montana food banks made now through Nov. 30. A record 52 food banks are participating this year.
The money is used to purchase perishable food items such as milk, bread, fruit and vegetables. However, 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.
"Town Pump Foundation fundraiser is so deeply so appreciated," said Joanne Cortese of the Butte Food Bank. "The need is up 35-40 percent from beginning of 2008."
The "Be A Friend in Deed, Helping Those In Need" campaign raised a record $1.45 million last year alone, and has raised about $4.9 million for food banks statewide in the campaign's seven years.
"Each year we have seen a growing number of Montanans struggling to make ends meet," said Maureen Kenneally of the Town Pump Foundation. "While other charitable efforts have declined, we have seen an increase in support for our Montana food banks, proving that together we make a difference."
Donations for the campaign are being collected at the Town Pumps, the Lucky Lil's, Lady Lil's, Montana Lil's and Magic Diamond casinos; and the Comfort Inns.
Meanwhile, the 21st Annual “Thompson Distributing City-Wide Food Drive” will be conducted throughout the city of Butte Saturday, Dec. 5, according to organizers Scott and Mark Thompson.
With the help of all the local volunteer fire departments and the 15-90 Search and Rescue, along with hundreds of volunteers, the food drive will begin at 10 a.m. and run until done. A light lunch of pizza, chili, and Pepsi will be served to volunteers.
Last year the food drive collected over 134,000 items and $23,000 in cash. In the past 20 years, 1,575,000 food items and over $218,000 have been collected for the Butte Emergency Food Bank. In 2008, the drive enlisted over 700 volunteers.
Residents interested in donating food during the drive leave bagged grocery items outside their homes the morning of December 5. Volunteers, utilizing Thompson, fire and search-and-rescue trucks collect the goods.