Polson residents may see a little more assistance between the schools and food pantry in the coming months.

Last week, the Polson School District and Polson Loaves and Fish each received checks from Providence St. Joseph Medical Center to help basic needs of the community.

On Tuesday, Jan. 16, Polson School District faculty and administration received a $5,000 and on Thursday, Jan. 18, Polson Loaves and Fish received $10,000.

The money will go toward students’ needs throughout the district, Superintendent Rex Weltz explained.

“Our faculty, specifically the counselors and the nurses, can address the needs when they arise,” Weltz said.

“One, we’re addressing students’ needs, but I think what it is also a testament to is the partnership we have in our community between” the medical center and school district.

“That’s a good relationship we’ve established and we certainly appreciate” the relationship, Weltz added.

Presenting to the Providence Montana Health Foundation last month, Weltz said faculty members “made the case” for the assistance to further benefit children, which he said the district already does.

If a student needs glasses or clothes, for example, the district purchases them for the child.

There are approximately 1,600 students in the Polson School District.

Two days later, the food pantry received its check.

Mary Martin, president of the pantry’s board, said fresh goods will be purchased with the money, along with cereals.

Bryan River, manager of the pantry, said the money will help “fill in” gaps of needed food to hand out to the community.

“It allows us to really ‘soup up the diet’ of our clients,” he said.

Chief executive officer of the hospital, James Kiser, said that the hospital has a Mission and Values Committee, which “wants to know” ways to help the community.

One thing that continuously is identified by the committee, Director of Hospital Operations Landon Godfrey said, is food insecurity.

Balancing the needs of youth as well as mental health needs, Godfrey said that helping the food pantry resonated with what the hospital is working to do.

“At Providence, it’s a mission, it’s a ministry. We’re here to serve the community,” he said.

Beyond contributing to the healthcare aspect provided by the hospital system, Godfrey said helping out the community in other ways goes hand-in-hand with what the hospital team looks to do.

“I’ve often said that a community, if it doesn’t take pride in it’s education and healthcare, it doesn’t have pride. Polson does a great job of” that, he added.