A New Partnership Will Help Feed Hungry Children in Montana

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - It was announced recently that the Montana Food Bank Network has acquired No Kid Hungry Montana, in partnership with a group called Share our Strength, a nonprofit organization that works to solve the problem of hunger and poverty in the U.S. and around the world.

KGVO News spoke with Lisa Argo, Marketing and Communications Coordinator for the Montana Food Bank Network about the new partnership.

Three Organizations Join Forces to Feed Hungry Kids in Montana

“We are very excited to welcome No Kid Hungry Montana to our organization,” began Argo. “The No Kid Hungry Montana campaign will focus on ending child hunger in Montana. It's a collaboration between us and Share Our Strength which is a national nonprofit. No Kid Hungry is a national campaign that was launched in Montana about 11 years ago. Its goal is to improve access to nutrition programs that will connect kids to healthy food where they live and play and hopes to end child hunger.”

Argo said both organizations share the same goal of helping to feed hungry kids.

The Goal is to End Food Insecurity for Montana Children

“We have one in eight children in Montana living in food insecure households, so MFBN shares the same passion reflected through No Kid Hungry Montana and is excited about the opportunity to combine strategies and efforts to end childhood food insecurity and make No Kid Hungry a reality,” she said.

Argo said the Montana Food Bank Network boasts hundreds of partners throughout the state.

“At the Montana Food Bank Network, we have over 340 network partners across the state and that includes schools,” she said. “We’re just adding to the list of programs we already have in schools like the backpack program, and adding this No Kid Hungry campaign will help bring on more awareness of child hunger and then bring in the funds to actually provide nutrition programs for kids and actually get more food into the hands of children that need it.”

She Reveals where Much of their Food Comes From

Argo described where much of the food that the Montana Food Bank Network comes from.

“We receive food from three primary sources,” she said. “22 percent of the food that we deliver is purchased through MFBN. The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) was giving us more in previous years, but this year, it's gone down to just 15 percent that the USDA gives to us for food and nutrition programs. In addition, we have about 63 percent of organizations that have donated food. The reason why for every dollar that's donated to MSDN, helps us provide at least five meals.”

Argo said the goal of all three organizations is to join forces to end childhood food insecurity.