BUTTE — Butte-Silver Bow will start hosting emergency food drives at the Butte Civic Center in response to reductions in the federal SNAP program.
One local educator said it was students’ tears that assured him this was the right thing to do.
"She had a student in her office Monday that had a meltdown, crying, because he was really concerned about where his family’s next meal and meals after that would be coming from,” Butte Superintendent Jim O’Neill said.
Watch the full story:
Butte Chief Executive J.P. Gallagher made an emergency proclamation on Nov. 5 to make sure local food banks would have food so local families in need would get a meal.
The city-county levied two mills totaling about $182,000 in emergency funds from tax rolls to go to the local food bank, the Butte Rescue Mission, and other agencies for food distribution.
“We’re in an emergency situation, and that’s why we're where going at [it] today. We live in such a great community that always steps up and takes care of its own when we have people in need,” Gallagher said.
A food drive will begin at the Butte Civic Center beginning on Nov. 7. This will continue on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the civic center.
“All people have to do is drive through, we’ll come out, get your food, bring it into the civic center, the food bank will pick it up the next day, so we’ll do it as long as we need to,” O’Neill said.
About 10% of Butte-Silver Bow’s population participates in SNAP, so when reductions due to the government shutdown went into effect, Butte’s Community Action Team met and came up with this plan.
“It warms my heart, but mostly it just shows, like, how strong community is, especially in times of crisis, and at the end of the day we’re, like, all in this together,” Community Action Team member Brittany Masters said.
The Butte Rescue Mission reminds people that it serves three meals a day for both its clients and anyone in the community.
“We’re cooking more to meet the demands, so a hot cup of soup, a lunch to go, we can do that just as easy,” Rescue Mission Director Brayton Erickson said.
The proclamation will remain in effect until the chief executive determines the emergency has been lifted.
