IDAHO FALLS – Fewer families will go hungry this holiday season thanks to Community Food Basket Idaho Falls.
Formerly the Idaho Falls Community Food Bank, it has served the Idaho Falls community for more than 35 years. The nonprofit organization collects canned food and monetary donations to stock its food pantry, which it uses to assist families in need.
Organization Executive Director Bud Langerak said Community Food Basket Idaho Falls helps 1,000 families a month, which works out to about 51,600 people a year in the area.
This week, the food pantry partnered with State Farm and the Marine Corps Toys for Tots program to put on the Annual Magical Reindeer Experience – a holiday celebration where kids recite their Christmas wish lists to Santa and see live reindeer as they sip on hot chocolate served by volunteers. The fee for entering the celebration was a donation to the food pantry or the Toys for Tots program.
Volunteers Alexandria Chandler and Haley Hoffman, who are doing missionary work in Idaho Falls, accepted food donations during the celebration. They said they like helping out at charity events because it affirms their commitment to public service.
“I’m so thankful for these people because they take a little time out of their day to bring us a few cans,” Chandler said. “It helps so many people and brings joy to their lives during the holidays.”
Langerak said giving during the holiday season is especially important because many people in the agricultural and construction industries see layoffs during this time of year. In fact, last month the pantry served 144 families the day before Thanksgiving, which was a record for the organization.
But as volunteer and Vice Chairperson of the Regional Council for Christian Ministry Jane Kaestner said, the need for food doesn’t stop when the holiday season ends.
“People think about giving this time of year,” said Kaestner. “(But) people need to eat all year long.”
Kaestner said people are still recovering from the recession and the need for food assistance in Idaho Falls is still high. Additionally, Langerak said the working poor is a growing segment of our population that needs help.
“We go home at the end of the day and we might be tired,” Langerak said. “But we feel good about what we’re doing.”
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