By CHANSE WATSON

Managing Editor

WALLACE — The joint Wallace/Osburn/Mullan Food Bank has been busy this month, providing essentials to Silver Valley households during this evolving COVID-19 situation.

Food Bank team leader Art Flemming tells the News-Press that between the Wallace and Osburn distribution days, held on the first and third Thursdays of the month respectively, the food bank provided almost 100 households with non-perishable food items and some selected hygiene supplies.

This March makes the busiest month the food bank has ever had with 100 households served — beating out the previous record of 65 households served.

This record-breaking number is impressive considering that the joint food bank only gives out provisions once a month from both of their distribution sites.

From their Wallace site at United Methodist Church and their Osburn site at Grace Evangelical Free Church, food bank volunteers provide what they refer to as “staples” or high necessity items that they package up and give out every month.

One of these items in particular is even the recently sought after toilet paper roll.

“We’ve been blessed to have been given a pretty good stock of toilet paper,” Flemming said, “primarily through school food drives.”

Considering the current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, the food banks are currently handing out these items outside the collection areas instead of allowing patrons to come in and shop around like normal.

While this month put a good dent in the food bank’s inventory, Flemming said that they are still in good shape thanks to the support of the community.

“We obviously gave out a lot of food … but fortunately we had a good January and February in terms of donations.”

Even now during a time of crisis, community support for those who are in need has not wavered.

“There have been a number of people who have inquired about donating,” Flemming said.

One of the most popular ways the community has helped the food bank has been purchasing pre-made food bags at Stein’s in Osburn and Harvest Foods in Wallace.

Staff at these stores assemble the bags with items the food bank considers to be “staples” and leaves them out for customers to purchase. Purchased bags are then set aside to be collected by the food bank at a later time.

Last weekend alone, Stein’s manager Denise Gibbons reported around 25 of these food bags being purchased there and Harvest Foods owner Jeff McLeod reported roughly 12 being sold at his store.

With the social distancing recommendations currently in place, Flemming said this is the best way for people to support the food bank right now.

“That is probably, in this situation, the safest and most feasible way to do donations right now,” he explained. “If we do food drives, we have a lot of people handling things, which can be an issue right now.”

For those looking to donate physical goods, contact Flemming at 208-755-0334.

The next food bank distribution days are Thursday, April 2 at the Wallace location and Thursday, April 16 at the Osburn location — both from 3 to 5 p.m.

“Thank you to all the folks who have made this happen,” Flemming added. “We’re grateful to be able to serve the community this way.”