KALISPELL — The Northwest Montana Veterans Food Pantry is completing its annual Thanksgiving food box distribution on Wednesday to ensure all veterans have a warm meal this holiday.
The organization distributed 105 boxes of food to veterans for Thanksgiving, and after its Christmas box distribution, they will have distributed over 300 meals for the holidays.
The holiday meal box distribution is only made possible through community support through donations and volunteering. After receiving 25,000 pounds of food and $15,000 in donations in November, a Boy Scout Troop helped put the boxes together for pickup.
This is just one way the food pantry gives back to the veterans during a time when they need support.
“So to be able to love on them, after everything that they've done for us and how they fought for our freedoms and taken care of us. It's really nice that we can be able to give back and show them the compassion and the love in a time when they need that," Northwest Montana Veterans Food Pantry Community Outreach Specialist Cinnamon Davis-Hall said. "During the holidays is always a hard time for everybody. There's always some challenges that are going on."
The veterans food pantry is also providing Christmas gifts for Veterans and their families through their Santa’s Workshop program. Veterans who pick up food boxes also get a coupon to shop for presents in Santa's Workshop to have something to give over the holidays.