Livingston Food Pantry Of Park County

THE MISSION OF THE LIVINGSTON FOOD PANTRY OF PARK COUNTY IS TO ENSURE THAT NO PERSON IN LIVINGSTON OR PARK COUNTY, MONTANA, EVER SUFFERS FROM FOOD INSUFFICIENCY. MUCH OF THE AREA SERVED IS LOW-INCOME AND RURAL; MORE THAN 16% OF THE HOUSEHOLDS IN LIVINGSTON LIVE BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL, SO THE NEED IS GREAT. SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 2005, THE LIVINGSTON FOOD PANTRY HAS GROWN AND EVOLVED TO MEET THE CHANGING NEEDS OF THE MANY CHILDREN, ADULTS, AND ELDERLY WHO STRUGGLE WITH HUNGER AND OTHER TRAUMATIC ISSUES RESULTING FROM LIVING IN POVERTY. INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED TO LEVERAGE THE PANTRY'S ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY'S FOOD SYSTEM, ECONOMY, HEALTH CARE AND EDUCATION SYSTEMS. THE PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED AND IMPLEMENTED TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF POVERTY AND HUNGER IN MEANINGFUL AND LONG-LASTING WAYS. THE PANTRY STRIVES TO ACCOMPLISH ITS MISSION BY ENSURING ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD; HELPING DRIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT; AND IMPROVING ACCESS TO ADEQUATE HEALTH CARE AND EDUCATIO

FOOD PANTRY PROGRAMS: OUR FOOD PANTRY REMAINED A CORNERSTONE OF SUPPORT FOR THE COMMUNITY IN 2023, PROVIDING ESSENTIAL FOOD ASSISTANCE TO AN AVERAGE OF 397 HOUSEHOLDS PER MONTH THROUGH OUR SHOPPING SERVICES-AN INCREASE FROM THE AVERAGE 301 HOUSEHOLDS SERVED PER MONTH IN 2022 AND THE AVERAGE 210 HOUSEHOLDS SERVED IN 2021. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, OUR DEDICATED TEAM OF VOLUNTEERS, STAFF, AND BOARD MEMBERS DISTRIBUTED OVER 263,284 POUNDS OF FOOD. OUR SELF-SELECT, DIGNITY-FORWARD PANTRY ALLOWED CLIENTS TO CHOOSE THE ITEMS THEY NEEDED MOST, WHILE MAINTAINING A STRONG FOCUS ON NUTRITION. WE CONTINUED TO PRODUCE MINIMALLY PROCESSED, READY-TO-EAT MEALS-INCLUDING SOUPS, PASTA SAUCES, AND FROZEN ENTREES- IN OUR COMMUNITY KITCHEN, REDUCING BARRIERS TO HEALTHY MEALS. OUR COMMITMENT TO HEALTHFUL FOOD EXTENDED TO THE CONTINUED BAKING OF FRESH, WHOLE-WHEAT BREAD MADE WITH MONTANA-GROWN ORGANIC GRAINS. IN TOTAL, OUR BAKERY PRODUCED 6,336 LOAVES, WITH 1,203 LOAVES DISTRIBUTED FREE OF CHARGE TO OTHER FOOD PANTRIES ACROSS MONTANA. THIS INITIATIVE HAS GROWN INTO A KEY COMPONENT OF OUR COMMUNITY-FOCUSED EFFORTS, PROVIDING NUTRITIOUS BREAD TO THOSE IN NEED WHILE SUPPORTING LOCAL AGRICULTURE.

EXPANDED COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND MOBILE SERVICES: WE CONTINUED TO SERVE CLIENTS IN THE MOST RURAL PARTS OF OUR COUNTY, RECOGNIZING THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESOURCE CHALLENGES FACED BY THESE RESIDENTS. IN 2023, THE MOBILE PANTRY PROGRAM REACHED 613 HOUSEHOLDS, ENSURING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO FOOD RESOURCES FOR EVERYONE IN OUR SERVICE AREA. OUR HEALTHY WEEKEND PROGRAM IS NOW CALLED BACKPACK BUDDIES,AND WE DISTRIBUTED 10,997 TOTAL FOOD BAGS IN PARK COUNTY SCHOOLS. WITH ITS REDESIGN IN FALL 2023, THE PROGRAM IMPLEMENTED AN OPEN ELIGIBILITY POLICY WITH AN OPT-OUT SYSTEM, ENSURING THAT NO CHILD IN NEED IS EXCLUDED. FOOD BAGS, CONTAINING NUTRITIOUS ITEMS, ARE DISCREETLY PLACED IN STUDENTS' BACKPACKS OR LOCKERS BY SCHOOL STAFF, MINIMIZING ATTENTION FROM PEERS. THIS APPROACH HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE IN PROVIDING ESSENTIAL SUPPORT WITHOUT DRAWING UNWANTED ATTENTION TO RECIPIENTS, ENSURING EVERY STUDENT WHO NEEDS HELP RECEIVES IT. ADDITIONALLY, OUR SUMMER LUNCH PROGRAM SERVED 2,169 MEALS ACROSS THREE SITES IN LIVINGSTON, ENSURING CHILDREN HAD ACCESS TO BALANCED, NUTRITIOUS FOOD EVEN WHEN SCHOOL WAS NOT IN SESSION. WE CONTINUED TO PARTNER WITH LIVINGSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, FARM TO SCHOOL OF PARK COUNTY, AND THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON TO OFFER THIS PROGRAM, WHICH SERVED 7 SITES TOTAL. SUPPORTING VULNERABLE POPULATIONS: OUR MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING PROGRAM EXPANDED IN 2023, NOW IN ITS THIRD YEAR. THIS INITIATIVE OFFERS FREE COUNSELING TO ANY LFRC CLIENT, PROVIDING CRUCIAL SUPPORT TO THOSE FACING THE STRESSES OF POVERTY AND FOOD INSECURITY. IN 2023, TWO COUNSELORS PROVIDED 1,213 TOTAL COUNSELING SESSIONS TO 423 INDIVIDUALS, HELPING THEM NAVIGATE DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES AND IMPROVE THEIR WELL-BEING. THIS INCLUDES ASSISTING 63 INDIVIDUALS IN SIGNING UP FOR SNAP (SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM), ENSURING THAT MORE FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS TO FOOD ASSISTANCE. THE PANTRY SUPPER CLUB CONTINUED TO BE AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE FOR ELDERLY AND DISABLED COMMUNITY MEMBERS, MANY OF WHOM FACE MOBILITY OR HEALTH CHALLENGES THAT MAKE SHOPPING OR COOKING DIFFICULT. IN 2023, WE PROVIDED 12,365 MEALS TO PARTICIPANTS, THOUGHTFULLY CRAFTED TO MEET THEIR UNIQUE DIETARY NEEDS. THESE MEALS ARE PREPARED USING FRESH, MINIMALLY PROCESSED INGREDIENTS, REFLECTING OUR ONGOING COMMITMENT TO HEALTH AND SUSTAINABILITY.

COMMUNITY KITCHEN AND LOCAL FOOD INITIATIVES THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN PLAYED A ROLE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BY SUPPORTING LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS, PROVIDING A CERTIFIED SPACE FOR SMALL FOOD BUSINESSES TO DEVELOP THEIR PRODUCTS. FOR THANKSGIVING WE PREPARED SCRATCH-MADE, MINIMALLY PROCESSED COMPONENTS FOR 380 LOCAL FAMILIES TO ENJOY HOLIDAY MEALS, INCLUDING HOUSEMADE STOCK, GRAVY, AND CRANBERRY SAUCE. WE ALSO PURCHASED AND PROCESSED 1,200 POUNDS OF LOCALLY SOURCED GREEN BEANS FOR INCLUSION IN THESE KITCHEN BAGS. IN 2023, THE LIVINGSTON FOOD RESOURCE CENTER DEMONSTRATED ITS RESILIENCE AND ADAPTABILITY, GROWING OUR PROGRAMS TO MEET THE DIVERSE AND EVOLVING NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY. BY PRIORITIZING LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS, EXPANDING ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD, AND ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES OF POVERTY, LFRC IS BUILDING A STRONGER, MORE FOOD-SECURE FUTURE FOR ALL OF PARK COUNTY. WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS IMPORTANT WORK IN 2024 AND BEYOND.