The challenge was presented and Montanans answered. On Thursday, MTN, along the E.W. Scripps Company, urged Montanans to match a donation of $6,000 each to the Butte Emergency Food Bank and the Gallatin Valley Food Bank.
Between Silver Bow and Gallatin counties, thousands of dollars were raised in the span of a few hours.
MTN’s Cody Boyer was on the Gallatin County side, while John Emeigh represented the Butte food bank.
In just a few hours, thousands of dollars from donors as far as from Michigan started to roll in to the Gallatin Valley Food Bank.
“I love our community,” says Jill Holder, Food and Nutrition Director at the Gallatin Valley Food Bank. “We have a really wonderful, wonderful area.”
From the moment we hit the “LIVE” button on Facebook Thursday afternoon, it became clear that people were watching, pandemic or not.
Holder can attest to that.
“We had over 30 donations and that ended up being about $3,500,” Holder says.
$3,500 on top of $6,000 already donated to the Gallatin Valley Food Bank, and another $6,000 from a Bozeman local Taunya Fagan.
Altogether, that’s $15,500 and climbing.
“It’s fantastic and ultimately what we want is just for people to think about the service,” Holder says.
Kids donated, too, sending in colorful cards.
Holder says each dollar goes even further than the food bank.
HRDC programs, from help with unemployment to housing, will also benefit.
“Housing is one of our biggest problems in our community and so if people don’t have housing, it’s very difficult to take a food box and create a meal,” Holder says.
Don Rudberg was among the 30, giving some of his stimulus check to the cause.
“It’s so essential for people who need help,” Rudberg says. “There are many people that are fortunate in this county. There are many people who are less fortunate in this county.”
A broad base of support helping to feed every day — and the time to donate is not over.
“It’s nice to just have people bring in that 12-pack of soup when we can do that—someday soon—and help a neighbor,” Holder says.
Donations are still being accepted anytime for both the Gallatin Valley Food Bank and the Butte Emergency Food Bank.