HELENA — Helena Food Share will be providing holiday classics, from turkey to cranberry sauce, to 1,000 community members in need before the December holidays.
According to the nonprofit, one in seven Helena residents struggle with food insecurity and hunger.
Over 30 volunteers packed Helena Food Share Thursday morning to help stock and restock shelves as those in need filtered in and out of the Community Food Resource Center & Grocery Share Center on Boulder Avenue.
Recipients were given time and space to fill shopping carts with holiday classics like turkey and cranberry sauce, which they could then use to prepare a festive, fulfilling meal.
Volunteers like Jeff Ashley and about half his colleagues from Morrison-Maierle’s Helena office helped the distribution process run smoothly. For Ashley, volunteering was an eye-opening experience.
“I was not fully aware of the need in Helena, but when you come to an event like this and see people lined up, it’s amazing to understand how big of a need in the community and how we can all help," said Ashley.
Patty White, Director of Communications for Helena Food Share, emphasized the importance of the event.
“For people to put a full holiday meal on the table for themselves and their family is important," White noted. "It has just become a tradition for our community to ensure our neighbors have food to put on the table during the holidays.”
In 2023, more than 2,300 pre-boxed meals were distributed between Thanksgiving and Christmas food share events.
