Frequently Asked Questions

The Great Falls Community Food Bank works to make sure local 501©3 organizations have the food they need to serve people in our area. We provide food to more than 70 agencies and programs, including food pantries, schools, churches, youth programs, group homes, soup kitchens and mental health organizations.

We also have the vital Backpacks4Kids program, which provides weekend and holiday food to students in pre-K through eighth grade in Great Falls Public Schools, Vaughn and Centerville.

We don't distribute food directly to individuals or families. Instead, we supply food to local organizations that provide that assistance.

If you need food, give us a call. We can help you find an agency that may be able to assist you. You can also find a list of food assistance locations here.

A food bank collects, purchases and stores food in large quantities and makes it available to other organizations. A food pantry distributes food directly to individuals and families.

The Great Falls Community Food Bank serves more than 70 local agencies and programs. By supplying food to these organizations, we help them spend less time and money obtaining food and more time serving the people who depend on them.

We receive food from a variety of sources, including local residents, businesses, churches, schools, food drives, manufacturers and retailers. We also purchase food throughout the year.

Donated food is an important part of our operation, but it doesn't always match what our agencies need. That's why financial donations are also important. They allow us to purchase specific foods when supplies run low.

Yes. The Great Falls Community Food Bank serves organizations in Cascade County and the surrounding area.

The food and financial contributions we receive support local agencies, schools and programs that serve people in our community.

Our needs change throughout the year, but we're almost always looking for canned fruit and vegetables, canned beans, canned meats, peanut butter, soup, canned pasta, cereal and other nonperishable foods.

We regularly post updates on our Facebook and Instagram pages listing our most needed items.

Yes, and we appreciate it. Whether you're dropping off a few grocery bags or organizing a large collection, your donations are welcome.

Food can be dropped off at: Great Falls Community Food Bank, 1620 12th Ave. N., Great Falls, MT. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. If your donation is more than 40 pounds, you can schedule a pick up as well by calling and asking for our warehouse, 406-452-9029.

We ask that donated items be unopened and in their original packaging.

Once food arrives at the Food Bank, we sort it, check it and prepare it for distribution to our partner agencies.

Those organizations use the food in different ways. Some distribute groceries to families. Others prepare meals, stock school pantries or provide food to people living in group homes and shelters.

Your donation might end up helping someone across town or someone who lives just a few blocks away.

Yes! Many foods are perfectly safe to eat after the date printed on the package. In fact, most dates on food products refer to quality rather than safety.

We accept many foods that are past their 'best by' dates, provided they are still safe to eat and the packaging is in good condition. All donated food is checked before being made available to our partner agencies.

If you're unsure whether a food item is still good, two helpful resources are StillTasty.com and the USDA's Food Keeper app. Both provide information about recalls, food storage, freshness and how long different foods can safely be kept.

You can also call us at 406-452-9029. We'd rather you ask than throw away perfectly good food.

Yes, depending on the product and its condition. Fresh produce, refrigerated products and frozen foods can be valuable additions to what we provide our agencies.

Please contact us before bringing in large quantities or perishable items.

Depending on the food and how it has been handled and stored, we may be able to accept donations from restaurants, caterers and other food-service businesses.

Please call us before bringing in prepared or perishable food so we can determine whether we can accept it.

Absolutely. Food drives organized by local businesses, churches, schools and community groups have been an important part of the Food Bank for many years.

We can help you determine what items are most needed and answer questions about organizing collection. Food drives don't have to be elaborate to be successful. Sometimes a few people collecting food at their workplace or church can make a substantial contribution.

Certainly. Financial donations are especially useful because they allow us to purchase the foods our agencies need most. They also help cover the cost of operating the Food Bank and supporting programs such as Backpacks4Kids. Food donations and financial contributions are both important to keeping our operation running.

Yes. If you'd like your contribution to go specifically toward Backpacks4Kids, just let us know when making your donation. The program provides food to local students for weekends and school holidays, when they may not have access to the meals they receive during the school week. All food is provided at no charge to participating schools or families.

Yes. The Great Falls Community Food Bank undergoes a professional audit either annually or every other year. In years when a full audit is not conducted, we undergo a formal financial review.

Both audits and reviews are performed by Douglas Wilson and Company, a Great Falls accounting firm. Our financial records are kept by the professionals at Bloomgren Rivera & Co. of Great Falls.

We believe regular, independent financial oversight is an important part of being accountable to our donors and the community we serve.

Backpacks4Kids provides food for weekends and school holidays to students in pre-K through eighth grade in Great Falls Public Schools, Vaughn and Centerville.

Teachers and counselors identify children who may not have enough food at home. The Food Bank purchases, assembles and supplies the food, which is discreetly placed in students' backpacks.

There is no charge to the schools or families.

It's a relatively simple program that addresses a serious problem: children who have enough to eat at school but may go hungry when they're home.

Yes. We have a longstanding partnership with Great Falls Public Schools through Backpacks4Kids and our school pantry program. School staff can obtain food for students and families through the Food Bank, and Backpacks4Kids provides weekend and holiday food to children identified by teachers and counselors.

We appreciate the work school employees do to recognize students who need help and make sure they receive it.

We appreciate people who are willing to volunteer their time. Opportunities vary throughout the year depending on our needs. Individuals and groups interested in volunteering are encouraged to contact us to see what opportunities are available, 406-452-9029.

If your organization is a 501©3 charity that provides food assistance or serves people who may be experiencing food insecurity, we'd be happy to discuss becoming a partner agency. Contact the Food Bank for information about eligibility, requirements and the application process.

Because the Food Bank plays an important role in helping dozens of local organizations fulfill their mission. When a food pantry needs groceries, a school needs food for students or a local shelter needs supplies for its kitchen, we're here to help.

We believe our mission fills gaps in our community that make us stronger as a city, county and region. We allow seniors to both eat AND pay for vital medications; breadwinners to search for work on a full stomach; and students of all ages to study without worrying about their next meal.

We've been doing this work since 1987, and we've seen firsthand how much this community is willing to help when there's a need.

The Food Bank couldn't operate without your support, and neither could many of the programs that depend on us.

Most people know that the Great Falls Community Food Bank supplies food to more than 70 local nonprofit agencies, group homes, churches, food pantries and schools. Many are also familiar with our Backpacks4Kids program, which provides weekend and holiday food to children in pre-K through eighth grade.

But there's quite a bit more we do behind the scenes. Here are some of the lesser-known ways we support our community:

• Helping other nonprofits save money: We lease space to Meals on Wheels and Great Falls FISH Food Pantry at rates well below market value. We also provide both organizations with additional storage space at no charge.
• Supporting the Montana Food Bank Network: We provide space and logistical support to help the Network distribute food to several charities throughout Cascade County.
• Assisting with federal food programs: We serve as a local drop-off location for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), a USDA program that provides food assistance to eligible low-income households, including seniors.
• Delivering food to our partner agencies: Many of the organizations we serve are run by volunteers and lack the vehicles or staffing needed to pick up large quantities of food. We make deliveries to help keep their shelves stocked.
• Providing free meeting space: We make our conference room available to smaller community groups at no charge.
• Offering food safety training: We provide ServSafe food safety training seminars to our partner agencies and schools at no cost.
• Connecting people with local services: We maintain a community resource guide to help people find food assistance and other services available in our area.
• Helping the Great Falls Rescue Mission: Last summer, when the Mission faced increased demand for meals, we reduced its food bill by more than $2,000 and provided additional food at no charge. This allowed the Mission to put more of its limited resources toward other essential services.
• Supporting Toby's House: We offered free storage space to Toby's House, a local crisis nursery that provides a safe place for young children, so it could store car seats, diapers and other infant supplies.

Providing food remains our primary mission, but we're also happy to share our facilities, resources and expertise when doing so can help another local organization. We've been part of Great Falls since 1987, and we believe working together makes all of our organizations more effective.