great-falls-community-food-bank

LET'S STAMP OUT HUNGER

Fri, 01 May 2026 21:04:32 GMT

Letter Carriers, Volunteers Fight Hunger in Great Falls

Stamp Out Hunger: Why This Saturday Matters More Than Ever
By Shaun Tatarka, Executive Director, Great Falls Community Food Bank

This Saturday, May 9th, our community has an opportunity to make a real, immediate difference in the fight against hunger right here in Great Falls.

The annual “Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive—now in its 33rd year—brings together letter carriers and local volunteers for a single, powerful purpose: to help stock the shelves of the Great Falls Community Food Bank at a time when we need it most.

And I’ll be honest—this drive is critical.

Summer is traditionally one of the toughest seasons for food banks. Donations tend to slow down, but the need doesn’t. Families are still struggling, kids are home from school, and grocery bills don’t take a break just because the weather warms up. We rely heavily on this drive to help carry us through those months.

In recent years, we’ve seen participation dip following the COVID-19 hiatus. Like many community efforts, we’re still working to rebuild that momentum. This year, we’ve set a goal of collecting 15,000 pounds of food—and reaching it would make a meaningful difference for the families we serve.

The good news? We’re not in this alone.

About 45 volunteers will be out alongside our letter carriers on Saturday morning, helping collect donations across the city. It’s a big job—too big for carriers to handle on their own—and we’re incredibly grateful for everyone stepping up to share the load. This is what community looks like.

If you’re planning to participate—and I hope you are—here’s what you need to know:

Leave your unopened, non-perishable food donation by your mailbox before 8:30 a.m. on Saturday , regardless of when your mail is usually delivered. Our volunteers will be out early, and collection wraps up around 12:30 p.m.

If you prefer to give financially, you can use the donation envelope that was mailed to residents this week. And if your donation happens to be missed, don’t worry—there are still plenty of ways to help. You can drop off food at any Great Falls post office through Wednesday, May 13th, or bring donations directly to the Food Bank at 1620 12th Ave. North during business hours. For larger donations, just give us a call and we’ll arrange a pickup.

What makes this drive so special isn’t just the food—it’s the legacy behind it.

The National Association of Letter Carriers has a long history of stepping up when communities are in need. From disaster relief to checking in on vulnerable neighbors, letter carriers have always gone beyond delivering mail—they deliver care. “Stamp Out Hunger” grew out of that spirit in the early 1990s and has since become the largest one-day food drive in the country, collecting more than 1.9 billion pounds of food over the years.

That’s an incredible legacy. And it continues this Saturday—with your help.

If you’ve ever wondered how to make a difference, this is one of the simplest ways to do it. A few cans or boxes of food, left by your mailbox, can help ensure that someone in our community doesn’t have to go without.

Hunger doesn’t take a vacation. But together, we can make sure fewer families have to face it alone.

Feeding Hope in Great Falls: Ten Years, Forty Years, and Counting

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 22:23:53 GMT

A reflection on a decade of service, gratitude for a generous city, and hope for the future of the Great Falls Community Food Bank

Next year marks ten years since I became the Executive Director of the Great Falls Community Food Bank. When I look back on my decade-long helm, what stands out isn’t the challenges or the struggle of running a non-profit—it’s the people of Great Falls. Time and again, I’ve been greatly moved by the generosity, kindness, and compassion in this community. Whether it’s a generous donor, giving as much as they can, or a pantry volunteer who works so hard to help struggling families.

And it’s not just these past ten years— the people of Great Falls have been supporting the Food Bank for nearly 40 years . For four decades, neighbors have come together to make sure no one in our city goes hungry. I am so grateful and honored to be part of that story.

The Everyday Heroes

One of the people who inspires me most is Mike, a Vietnam veteran who lives on limited funds. Every month, he donates $500 to feed his Great Falls neighbors. Think about that. Someone who doesn’t have much, but gives as much as he can—and then some—because he knows there are people out there with even less. And he’s not alone. I see families who are barely scraping by, still choosing to give, because they know what it feels like to need help. That kind of generosity inspires my amazing staff and I greatly.

Businesses that Care about Kids

Our local businesses are another source of constant inspiration. Hundreds of them step up to support our Backpacks4Kids program and other efforts that keep kids fed. They don’t just write a check and move on—they commit, year after year, because they believe in making sure children in Great Falls have what they need to learn, grow, and thrive. Whenever I see those backpacks filled with food going home with kids, I know it’s because of an entire community pulling together.

The Heartbeat of Our Work

And then there are the volunteers and employees of our partner agencies—the true heartbeat of the Food Bank. They’re the ones loading trucks, sorting food, serving meals at soup kitchens, stocking shelves at pantries, and working with youth groups and mental health agencies. They don’t do it for recognition; they do it because they care. Every smile, every bag of food, every helping hand—it all adds up to hope.

We are also feeding more agencies than ever before—pantries, youth groups, schools, soup kitchens, and organizations serving people with mental health challenges. Our partnership with the Great Falls Public Schools District is especially strong as the District continues its commitment to making sure our kids are ready to learn. The ripple effect of these partnerships is enormous: when we supply them, they can reach even further into the community and ensure help gets to the people who need it most.

I’ve also been blessed with a core group of outstanding employees over the last decade. None have been better than my current staff— Sandra Fermo (Office Manager), Martin Humphrey (Warehouse Manager), Shane Moore (Driver and Warehouseman) and Gabriel Day (Driver and Warehouseman) . Each of them has proven they take great pride in running the best charity possible, making sure every donor’s gift and every agency’s need is handled with care. They work tirelessly to ensure resources are maximized, and that the Food Bank continues to make the biggest impact it can.

The Challenges We Face

It hasn’t been easy. Government cutbacks have made it harder to meet the growing demand for food assistance. Every time funding gets reduced, it feels like a punch to the gut. But here’s what I’ve learned: Great Falls doesn’t back down. When there’s a need, this community steps up. Always.

A Community Like No Other

After ten years in this role, I can say this with all my heart: Great Falls is one of the most generous communities I’ve ever known. For nearly 40 years, people here have cared about their neighbors. They care about kids. They care about families who are struggling. They care enough to give, even when it’s hard.

Finally, a big thank you to the kind, caring souls who have served on our Board of Directors over the past ten years. Roughly 80 people have given their time, wisdom, and compassion—showing not only deep concern for the people of Cascade County who need our assistance, but also for the employees who carry out this mission every day. Their leadership and guidance have been a steady foundation for everything we’ve accomplished.

And that’s why I believe the future is bright, despite some recent cutbacks. Because as long as we keep caring for one another, there’s nothing we can’t overcome together.

From the bottom of my heart—thank you, Great Falls. Here’s to the next ten years of feeding hope, one neighbor at a time.

If you’d like to be part of this mission—whether by volunteering, donating, or simply sharing our story—please join us. Together, we can make sure the next 40 years are just as impactful as the last.

Shaun M. Tatarka

Executive Director

A Huge Relief

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 19:48:48 GMT

Food Bank To Expand Backpacks4Kids to Great Falls Middle Schools

As the principal for North Middle School, Brian Miller has seen his share of the disruptions that hungry students can cause in classrooms. The interruptions can often begin with a single student’s inability to truly focus or sit still. Then they can spill over into effects on that student’s friends or the kids who sit nearby in a classroom. Finally, a single student’s hunger can create disruptions that interrupt whole rooms of students, even those who are considered high achievers.

“There’s certainly no judgment. But as in every community, we have families who struggle and who send students to school who aren’t always given the tools or food they need to be learning-ready,” Miller said. “If we can alleviate some of that burden, we can have classrooms that run more smoothly.”

That’s why the Great Falls Community Food Bank is expanding its Backpacks4Kids Program, a program in which the food bank – working in conjunction with the Great Falls Public Schools – discreetly provides students with a small pack containing two days of health, easy-to-prepare food to help them through weekends and school breaks when school meal programs are not available. This year, the food bank has been distributing more than 950 packs of food each week – all to elementary-school-age students. Starting next fall, the program will be expanded to also include students at Great Falls two middle schools – North and East as well as Centerville School.

“We’ve been thinking of expanding this invaluable program for years, and we’re extremely pleased to now be in a position where we can add even more students,” said Shaun Tatarka, Executive Director of the food bank. “The food bank is in a strong place financially and we have the organizational stability to be able to sustain the Backpacks4Kids program in these additional schools over the long term.”

The Backpacks4Kids program began in 2011, when the food bank began offering it at just four of Great Falls’ elementary schools – those with the most students whose families’ income were considered below the federal standard for poverty. After gradually adding new schools over the years, the food bank’s staff and board of directors recognized the need for a broader-based program. By 2020, the program was serving all 15 elementary schools in Great Falls along with the Vaughn school.

“We realized that poverty and student hunger exist to at least some extent in all of the schools in our community,” Tatarka said. “We’re grateful that our community has seen this need also and that, through the generosity of our donors, we are able to meet the challenges of feeding these additional students.”

Miller called the program “a great equalizer for kids” that helps ensure that students of all backgrounds have a chance to learn, comprehend and remember the day’s lessons when they arrive at school each day. He noted that an important aspect of the program is that the schools are committed to handing out the food packs discreetly at the end of the day on Friday. With that subtle handling of the packs, students are able to get the weekend and holiday nutrition they need without feeling like they are treated differently than any other students in the classroom.

“We have community members who work hard, try their best and just struggle to provide the protein and nutrients that their families need,” Miller said. “There’s no singling out. We’re not pointing fingers. We’re not handing those families another bill. We’re simply working together to help those students feel safe and ready to learn.”

Sandra J., a single mother who was briefly unemployed after moving to Great Falls five years ago, said her daughter used the backpack program for part of their first year in their new community. Backpacks4Kids helped bridge the gap while Sandra was seeking work and struggling to regain financial stability following a divorce.

“It was a lifesaver for our family,” said Sandra, whose last name was omitted at her request. “I now try to donate to the food bank sometimes because I know other families are going to need the same hand up that we had. It sounds corny, but these packs were just what we needed.”

At the time, Sandra’s daughter looked forward to receiving the packs and finding out what specific items were in them at the end of each week. The ingredients in the food packs have varied over time but generally include two entrees (usually soup and/or pasta), two bags of cereal, a small carton of non-refrigerated milk, juice, and snacks that include Kracklin Kamut (a wheat snack), cookies, a granola bar and fruit snacks.

“The contents of the pack were kind of surprise for her and she liked getting those extra foods and treats that we just couldn’t buy at the time,” her mother said. "It’s really great to hear that the program is expanding,” she said. “I know from experience that it’s going to be a relief for some families. A big relief.”

It's Exhausting....

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 18:30:45 GMT

For many, navigating the system can be difficult

Food insecurity can be exhausting, relentless and even humiliating. When someone in our community does not get enough nutritional food for themselves or loved ones in their household, psychological distress sets in. This can be depression, anxiety, anger and a feeling of hopelessness. Here are a few emotions and comments that we see and hear day-to-day working with the hungry and those who feed the hungry.

Stress & Frustration: Stress from logistically trying to figure out how the system works and where the next meal will come from. Are the resources that can help open the same hours I work or are they only open a few hours a week? How much paperwork needs to be completed? What documentation is needed? How long will the process take? I have no car and no gas. Is there a delivery service? My food benefits have been cut and I don’t have enough money for food for the entire month. Not having answers can be extremely frustrating and even fearful.

Stigma & Shame: Stigma, the negative judgement of using community resources. What will my co-workers say? Will my family think less of me, I can’t possibly ask them for help? I don’t want someone to see me in line for a food box. I am ashamed I’m not able to provide enough food for myself or family.

Sadness & Guilt: I just can’t seem to get ahead. I don’t want to go to a food pantry every month. I’m so sad and this situation feels hopeless, not sure I can continue to fight this fight. My children rely on me to provide for them, I feel guilty for not being able to do more to adequately provide. I have failed, letting my spouse and children down.

Many in our community who are hungry and perhaps homeless, are trying desperately to form healthy non-destructive habits in their life and overcome destructive and negative behaviors. It is difficult to fight temptation, learn new skills and habits, and think clearly when hungry. We believe one component to long lasting behavioral change starts with finding enough nutritional food to eat daily. Feeling confident and being food secure is a start to a healthier lifestyle. If we can help dispel some or all of these feelings and provide hope by feeding them, the changes for healing are greatly increased.

We try to make the system a bit less daunting for those who are hungry. While we are not a direct provider to the public (apart from our Backpacks4Kids program), we do our best to supply our 65+ agencies with the food they need to help the struggling. We also work hard to educate the hungry on how to best navigate the system, working with other agencies to ensure the food we distribute reaches those in need.

With the rising costs of food and transportation, the Food Bank could use your help as we aid our agencies. We have seen a massive increase in need in the past three years and are doing our best to make a difference in our community. Won’t you please consider helping the hungry and exhausted by donating today? Our community needs your support. Together we can help those who just need a hand up. Thank you.

THE UNSEEN HOMELESS

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 21:02:24 GMT

Providing Stability in a life of chaos

This year, GFPS identified nearly 500 students who qualified as homeless under the educational definition of the term. McKinney-Vento (Homeless Assistance Act) defines homeless as those students who live in shelters, hotels/motels, campgrounds, inadequate housing, doubled-up with another family due to financial hardship, or who that are completely unsheltered. These kids and families are living without a permanent nighttime residence. In other words, they are our “hidden” homeless.

As such, these children often go unnoticed. They go to school as often as they can and bounce around frequently. They have to piece together their education based upon where each school and each class happens to be at in their curriculum. They then have to adapt to a whole new set of rules with a whole new set of people. This makes learning much more difficult. We wonder why people feel that our system is failing our kids. I promise you it is not. It is not the system. It is the reality of their world that creates the struggle. Life happens all around us and much of what happens is not in our control. We can, however, help mitigate that as best we can.

Our school system has a team of three, of which I am proud to be a part, that work day-in and day-out to help provide some stability into an otherwise chaotic existence. Our goal is to provide equal access to education for our students who are living in transition and homelessness. We work closely with local agencies such as the Great Falls Public Schools Foundation, the Great Falls Community Food Bank, Opportunities Incorporated, The Cameron Center, Family Promise, The Rescue Mission, My-Student-In-Need, the YRC, St. Vincent de Paul’s, and so many more. Our community has so many wonderful people willing to reach out to lend a helping hand. In fact, each school has been “adopted” by a local church that helps meet some of their needs such as food and clothing drives, holiday meals and gifts, as well as other needs. Pastor Neumann and the good people at Faith Lutheran even did a sleeping bag drive for us this year to help keep our kids and families stay warm in cars or on floors. I would like to add these churches do so as good neighbors and caring people.

Our younger students of all walks of life are constantly in need of school supplies, and each year there is a “Stuff the Bus” campaign to kick start the year. These donated supplies are divided and distributed to all of our schools. This is wonderful. I think that it goes without saying that most of this goes towards our neediest families. First Interstate Bank does a “Stuff the Food Bus” as well towards the beginning of the year which then partners with the GF Community Food Bank to lower the cost of food until the collective weight is met.

Every day, without fail, my team is down at the Great Falls Community Food Bank filling boxes of food, most of which carries only a .19 per pound shared maintenance fee, to distribute to our families that qualify as homeless or at-risk. This is funded primarily through the Great Falls Public Schools Foundation. Shaun Tatarka and his dedicated crew at the food bank, and the difficult work they do there, make it easy for us to get in and out quickly and affordably in order to get food boxes into the hands of those who need it most. They are kind, courteous and efficient. We could not do what we do without their help, the help of donors like you, and the well-oiled machine that is the Great Falls Community Food Bank. This year, our department alone has delivered nearly 30,000 lbs. of food to date. The primary reason I wanted to be on the Food Bank board is because I feel so strongly about the amazing work they do, and how strongly I believe in this organization.

Some other supplies are needed year long. Our younger students of all walks of life need socks, underwear, sweatpants, and shoes. During the winter, hats, gloves, and coats. Our older students often need items such as DOP kits loaded with hygiene supplies (male and female), feminine hygiene products, warm coats, and sweat shirts. For our older students, these compact items are easier to carry around with them as they are always on the move. Many are bouncing from couch to couch and have only what they can carry.

We have all had to overcome obstacles of one sort or another in our lives, and no one should ever downplay what another has gone through. I know I have. I know you have. I also know how fortunate I have been, and was taught to count my blessings. In my current role, and through my work over the past 24 years in education, I have seen so much hardship and struggle. I know that I have not seen the worst. I hope that day never comes. I know that we have wonderful organizations here in Great Falls, many of whom I have listed and many of whom I have not, that are here to help. Look around, reach out, donate, volunteer, spread the cheer and goodwill. There are so many out there who need it! All schools may be contacted directly in able to fill individual needs. Each school has its own very unique climate.

Ryan Hart Great Falls Public Schools

Student Services Coordinator for the Homeless and At-Risk

Great Falls Community Food Bank Board Member

Former Elementary School Principal

Former 5 ^th /2 ^nd grade Teacher

LEARNING ON A FULL STOMACH

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 17:20:10 GMT

BACKPACKS4KIDS GIVES GREAT FALLS STUDENTS A FIGHTING CHANCE

On the Friday before a recent long weekend, Great Falls teachers and administrators were thinking about what local students needed so they could return to school Tuesday ready to learn. For many, the answer was extra food. That’s why Shannon Guilfoyle, Principal of Longfellow Elementary, was pleased to receive an unexpected two barrels of croissants from the Great Falls Community Food Bank – in addition to a usual Friday allocation of food.

“The need is huge,” Guilfoyle said, “and the food bank guys know that. They make sure our kids get enough.”

In addition to the croissants, children in need that weekend also received a 2.5-pound pack of kid friendly food to get them through the weekend. This popular program, known as “Backpacks4Kids has been keeping underprivileged Great Falls schoolchildren fed on weekends and holidays since 2010 . The current need is not only huge, but it’s growing. By early 2023, the Food Bank was providing more than 900 “backpacks” -- packages containing several food items – to local schools every week. That's up from an average of 750 in 2022. The backpacks are discretely placed in the children’s backpacks each Friday to help feed students over the weekend. Each school decides who gets the additional food, with an emphasis on ensuring that students have enough to eat, not simply to provide snacks.

Thought the Food Bank accepts donations for this vital program year-round, from January to early March, the food bank focuses on securing sponsorships for the program with its annual Backpacks4Kids drive. And that’s where you can help. For only $150, you can sponsor one backpack, roughly covering the cost for one child to receive that extra Friday/weekend nutrition for one school year.

The backpack contents vary, with the Food Bank working to ensure that each one includes protein and various nutrients. Each pack generally includes a can of soup and a single-serving macaroni and cheese packet, along with varying items such as cereal, graham crackers, a granola bar and juice. Although it’s not designed to fill all nutritional needs, each backpack can mean the difference between a child feeling uncomfortable with hunger at school or arriving ready to learn.

In addition, Guilfoyle and the district’s other administrators and teachers often hand out the packets to students who may have younger siblings at home. It’s a way to ensure children who haven’t yet reached school age also have enough to eat.

When Guilfoyle was a teacher, she was among those who purchased extra food to send home with students – before the Food Bank’s backpack program existed. She said she knows from personal experience and from Longfellow’s educators that there is no question that hunger can lead to stress, difficulty concentrating and behavioral problems for students. In 2022, when families stopped receiving additional Covid funding, “behavioral problems skyrocketed,” she said.

Interested in helping a student receive enough nutrition for the weekend? Your sponsorship of a backpack can make a meaningful difference – helping one student for a year, you can make an online donation on this website’s donate page (be sure to leave a note that your donation be earmarked for the Backpacks4Kids program.) or send a check to GFCFB Backpacks4Kids, 1620 12 ^th Ave. N., Great Falls, MT 59401.

Together we can give students a fighting change to break out of the cycle of poverty. Thank you!

Imagine

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 22:58:36 GMT

IMAGINE

Imagine for a moment the anxiety (or sheer terror) of living in a cheap motel room with your two school-age children wondering where your next meal is coming from—wondering if your children will be able to eat tomorrow. You just started a job that pays a little more than minimum wage (currently $9.20 in Montana) and are waiting for your first paycheck.

Unpleasant isn’t it?

For one Great Falls woman, it’s reality. Sheila (not her real name) and her children escaped an abusive relationship and with help from local charities are getting by. Barely. They receives a box of food once a week from one of the Food Bank’s partner agencies, Helping Hands at First English Lutheran Church. With some luck and a little help from the charities and the caring people who donate to these charities, Sheila very well may be able to dig herself out of this hole.

Now imagine being a 10-year old who relies on school breakfasts and lunches to survive because there is little-to-no food at home. You find yourself in trouble at school on Friday afternoons and Monday because your fear and frustration over the coming days of no food cause you to act out.

Obviously, Fridays wouldn’t necessarily be your favorite day of the week.

But for Great Falls underprivileged public school children in grades K-6 who are identified as hungry by their teachers, relief comes in the form of a pack of food through the Food Bank’s Backpacks4Kids program. By staying in school, being able to learn on a full stomach, and working hard, these children may be able to break the cycle of poverty.

At the Great Falls Community Food Bank, we provide more than food, we provide hope and a brighter future to those who are facing stark, bleak situations. We know that many people, like Sheila or the hungry 10-year old, simply need a little hope to improve their lives and build a better future for themselves and their families.

Food is something most of us take for granted as we journey through life. We face our problems on a full stomach, never knowing what it’s like have hunger as our number one concern. By alleviating this problem for those who do have these worries, we allow them to concentrate and tackle life’s other problems—housing, employment, stability, health needs. We believe in the power of the human spirit because we have seen it. We often have successful people come to donate, telling us they too once received a helping hand from a food bank or pantry and that hand helped them get to a better place. In other words, they received some hope from a food pantry or food bank.

Now, imagine a county where there is no hunger. Cascade County. With your help we can make it happen.