Meals for Backpacks Grant Applications Requested
Helping Kids Learn by Filling a Need
It's 65 hours from the time school ends on Friday until it starts on Monday morning. Many students rely on breakfasts and lunches served at school for daily meals. Weekend meal programs exist to provide two breakfasts and two lunches for children at risk of weekend hunger.
In its sixth year, the Town Pump Charitable Foundation’s “Meals for Backpacks” program provides funding to schools, food banks, and civic organizations to help support their weekend meals program.
The Town Pump Charitable Foundation will be awarding a total of $500,000 in 2021 for “Meals for Backpacks” programs.
Grant applications are open from August 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021. Grant applications can be found at www.townpumpfoundation.com/backpacks.
NEWS
Butte, MT (January 16, 2024)
Our 2021 Annual Report will be in newspapers across Montana this morning.
Twenty years ago Town Pump began what has become an annual campaign to raise funds for food banks across Montana. In 2002 the campaign started with 17 food bank partners in 15 Montana communities and a Town Pump Charitable Foundation match of $50,000. In 2021, we are working with 103 food bank partners and a Town Pump Charitable Foundation match of $1 million dollars. All of us at Town Pump wish to recognize the hard work and commitment of all of the food bank team members across the state in serving the needs of the food insecure in Montana. They are truly Montanans Helping Montanans! Thank you for the work you do every day to help our neighbors. With 1 in 9 Montanans (1 in six Montana children) experiencing food insecurity Team Town Pump is ready to roll up our sleeves and work with food bank partners to raise the much needed funds. From October 1, 2021 through November 30, 2021 Town Pump team members work with their local food bank partners to raise funds over and above their share of the $1 million dollar in grants. Town Pump team members hope to raise over $500,000 in additional funding for our food bank partners. Town Pump team members will be asking our very generous customers, casino players and hotel guests for $1 donations in October and November. These donations are then forwarded to the food bank partners in the communities they are collected in. With everyone’s help we will be able to raise $500,000 for Montana Food Banks
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 5/5/2021
Partnering with 85 food banks and food pantries in 72 Montana communities nearly $4 million was raised during the 2019 campaign. This includes over $750,000 in matching funds from Town Pump. In 18 years, more than $33 million has been given to the food banks of Montana including $6.75 million in matching funds committed by Town Pump. The annual fundraiser was started with two goals. First to provide funds for food banks to help our hungry neighbors and second, to raise awareness of hunger in Montana. Town Pump understands that a food bank does not keep its doors open through food donations alone. This is why we have committed to bring much needed cash funds to assist with expenses such as building rent, utilities, purchasing bulk food items and perishable food items including meat, produce, dairy and bread. In 2019 over $400,000 was donated by Town Pump’s generous customers at Town Pump Stores, Casinos, and Hotels. All funds raised, including matching funds are used locally where the funds were collected.
