Whitefish Community Foundation recently awarded $145,000 in Emergency Response Grants to food-access organizations throughout the Flathead Valley and Northwest Montana to help meet mounting demand for their services.

The grants are part of the Foundation’s ongoing work to help donors and nonprofits improve lives across the Flathead Valley.

Local nonprofits report that more families and individuals are utilizing food pantries and attending free community meals in response to the recent pause to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). With reduced benefits and uncertainty around the future of SNAP, these organizations are bracing for what could be a long winter of helping local families.

“I am thankful we can react quickly and deploy emergency funding to support local food-access organizations who are grappling with the surge in demand,” Whitefish Community Foundation President and CEO Alan Davis said. “To put the issue in perspective, over 4,500 local families rely on SNAP benefits in Flathead and Lincoln counties, totaling $1.2 million in September alone. Going into the holidays, we hope that others will be inspired to give.”

The following food-access nonprofits in Glacier, Lincoln and Flathead counties received Emergency Response Grants from Whitefish Community Foundation, with the grant amounts correlating to the number of individuals served by each organization:

• Bigfork Food Bank, $10,000
• Columbia Falls Food Bank, $5,000
• FAST Blackfeet, $25,000
• Flathead Food Bank, $25,000
• Land to Hand, $10,000
• Libby Food Pantry, $5,000
• NW MT Veterans Food Pantry, $10,000
• North Valley Food Bank, $25,000
• Samaritan House, $5,000
• Tobacco Valley Food Pantry, $5,000
• Troy Food Pantry $5,000
• West Shore Food Bank, $10,000
• Yaak Food Cupboard, $5,000

Whitefish Community Foundation’s Emergency Response Grants are made possible by the Circle of Giving, the core group of donors who contribute $5,000 or more annually to support the Foundation’s grant programs.

Those interested in helping to purchase food can direct donations to the Emergency Response Fund at Whitefish Community Foundation or make donations directly to their local food bank. All gifts to the Emergency Response Fund at Whitefish Community Foundation will be restricted for purchasing food and will be granted to local food-access nonprofits prior to the end of 2025.

Tax-deductible donations can be made online at whitefishcommunityfoundation.org, by calling (406) 863-1781, or by mailing a check payable to Whitefish Community Foundation to P.O. Box 1060, Whitefish, MT 59937.