Flathead Food Bank’s reach extends far beyond our food pantry walls. Thanks to our mobile pantry, we can serve neighbors in outlying communities who are limited in their ability to travel to Kalispell and may not have access to other food resources. 

On a rotating schedule with stops in Martin City, Hungry Horse, Coram, West Glacier, Kila, Batavia, and Marion, our warehouse manager, Jesse Taylor, drives roughly 2,500 miles each year delivering food to local community members. 

“Our mobile pantry greatly improves their ability to get the nutritious foods they want, like meat,” says Jesse. Retail options in these remote areas tend to be more expensive, especially when they cater to tourists, or mainly offer processed foods. In winter, traveling long distances to access food is difficult, particularly for those who don’t have cars. 

Without volunteer community partners like Eddie in Martin City, mobile distributions would not be possible. Each time the Flathead Food Bank truck pulls up, Eddie is there, ready to help manage an efficient distribution so his neighbors can bring their food home and the food bank can reach its next stop on time.

“I actually used to drive the mobile truck, and now I hand out food so I can still be involved,” says Eddie. “It’s good to help people, and the food bank is a great way to do it.”