One pumpkin at a time, is how the Poverello center, a local shelter in Missoula is making a difference this season.
This fall, they are raising funds to support the unhoused community and turning an autumn harvest into hope for those in need.
"I’ve seen first hand what poverty looks like and how it effects families and the different ways you can help," Megan Pfau, a local farmer said she chose to grow hundreds of pumpkins to help the Poverello center's annual fundraiser to feed Missoula's unhoused community.
"The poverello center does that for those who are struggling," Pfau said.
It’s part of a ten-year tradition farmers grow the pumpkins, local groups sell them, and the proceeds support the center’s food programs.
"Our kitchen serves about 150,000 meals a year," Stephanie Dolan, Director of Development for the Poverello center said, "and on top of that another 50-60,000 sack lunches get distributed out of our kitchen."
Dolan says it takes the enitre community to keep the poverello running.
"We’ll serve as many people as we can this year," Dolan says, "but I think it’s really going to be a community effort this year to really try to help people who are living unhoused."
With the recent closure of the Johnson Street shelter the Poverello Center has faced more challenges.
"It’s a really crucial time right now with Johnson street shelter closing," Dolan said, "were really stretched thin in terms of capacity at the pov (poverello)."
Dolan says the challenges won’t stop their mission to support and care for their unhoused neighbors.
"We’re going to keep doing what we always do we’re serving food, were sheltering people, were helping them gain some stability in their lives," said Dolan.
Their mission inspired local farmers like Pfau continue to give back.
"Just doing this for the pov (poverello) and helping them raise money was the next step for me," Pfau said, "the biggest thing for me is you will never go hungry you will always have food on your plate."
You can find poverello pumpkins at Clearwater Credit Union on Russell, Rattlesnake Market, The Good Food Store, The Trough, and YMCA Missoula.
