In late 1986 the United Way, local churches and area agencies discussed a better way to gather and distribute food. Our name was selected and we came into existence at 920 Front Street. The first Director, Jan Brown, was hired July 1, 1987, and Helena Food Share (HFS) opened on July 13, 1987.
During the 1990’s food drives were organized, including the first postal food drive. In the late 1990’s a capital campaign was organized and in 2000 moved to their current location at 1616 Lewis Street.
In July 2007, HFS celebrated its 20th year of meeting the ever-growing need for food for the hungry. HFS provides food donate in local food drives, food rescue with the help of local stores and food purchase to hungry families.
Who We Serve
We provide emergency food assistance to a broad spectrum of individuals and families in Helena who are experiencing the difficulties of today’s economic realities, including seniors and people with disabilities who live on fixed incomes; single parent families; two-parent households with both parents working minimum wage jobs; and families who have experienced economic setbacks due to medical or other financially devastating circumstances.
A Look At Some of Our Programs...
In 2009, our Monthly Grocery Program served 32,293 people (12,651 Monthly Boxes), a 6% distribution increase between 2008 and 2009.
On average, 2,600 visits were made monthly to the Daily Program over the last year. We have seen a 24% increase in the number of visits to this program when comparing 2008 to 2009.
As of December 2009, the East Helena Food Share Pantry has been used by 188 households at least once since it’s opening in late September.
Together, in 2009, St. Mary Catholic Community and Helena Food Share distributed 1,127 Thanksgiving boxes.
Through our Food Stamp Outreach Program we hope to increase access for our clients to food assistance. Our goal is to decrease any barriers in applying for Food Stamps. Through a matching grant, generously matched by a local donor, we secured training and a laptop. We promote the program to those we serve in all our programs. An average of 1-3 people sign up per week and over 100 information slips have been handed out.
The Mobile Pantry began distribution of Monthly and Daily Groceries at ME Anderson in May 2009. In July, Aspen Village residents began being served as well. The program is an engineering marvel: the food, distribution materials, and supplies are packed up at the warehouse and unpacked efficiently at both senior residences by staff and volunteers.
Sources of food
Individuals, families and businesses have adopted Helena Food Share as their agent to help individuals who are in need of groceries. People provide groceries and wild game meat individually directly to Food Share, through grocery store food drives, employee/employer food drives such as the Postal Food Drive, civic organization food drives, and food rescue of surplus food from Helena area grocery merchants.
