Cars line up a 1/2 mile long to receive food that is being distributed by the Billings Food Bank. (Jonathan McNiven Photo)
Cars snaked from Huntley’s Barkemeyer Park back to the railroad tracks as residents lined up to take advantage of the Farm to Truck distribution on Thursday, September 3. Associated with the Billings Food Bank, the delivery included meats, cheese, milk, bread, eggs, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. According to Sheryle Shandy, executive director of the Billings Food Bank, each family received up to two hundred pounds of food.
The distribution began at 11:00 AM and wrapped up at 3:00 PM so as not to interfere with the Huntley Farmer’s Market which began at 4:00 PM. With the help of around 20-25 volunteers including the staff from the Food Bank, the boxes were loaded directly into a total of approximately 250 vehicles as they drove up. No questions were asked, but distribution was limited to one per vehicle. All of the food was distributed, and the volunteers ended up returning to Billings with only a half pallet of milk. Touted as a huge success by Shandy, she stated that there are definitely plans to continue the program and schedule a return trip to Huntley.
There will be another distribution in Billings on September 9th, 10th, and 11th, from 10 am to 3 pm in the Billings Food Bank parking lot at 2112 4th Avenue N. Everyone is eligible to receive these items. Please be courteous and follow traffic instructions at the venue.
The Food Bank receives produce and other grocery items from FarmLink, the USDA and through the generous support of regular donors, and as such, they are able to provide food at no cost. Because of volunteers and their tremendous support, the food bank is able to operate on an extremely low budget. They also play a strong role in education and advocacy for hunger- related issues. If you have any questions, or would like to volunteer, please feel free to contact Sheryle Shandy at (406) 259-2856. Stay tuned for any information regarding future events in the area.