Three Bigfork organizations are participating in the Whitefish Community Foundation’s Great Fish Challenge this year, with the chance to get total donations over $10,000 matched to a percentage.  

Whitefish Community Foundation president and CEO Alan Davis said the Great Fish Challenge has grown outside of Whitefish over the years due to the number of nonprofits that support people across the entire valley.  

“I think one of the stats we looked at for the applicants this year is that 95% of the nonprofits participating in the challenge, regardless of where they’re located, are benefiting the entire valley,” Davis said. “We are excited to invite new organizations from Bigfork to the challenge, and I think supporting those groups that are supporting our quality of life across the Flathead.”

The Bigfork Food Bank and Bigfork ACES are participating in the event for the first time, with Bigfork Art and Cultural Center entering again.  

“With the cost of groceries and everything so high; groceries, gas and housing and everything; we just see a lot more people needing that little help,” Kathy Kaestner, executive director of Bigfork Food Bank, said.  

The Bigfork Food Bank near the intersection of Highway 35 and Highway 83 feeds roughly 40 families a week. People can stop in three times a month on Tuesdays to shop in the Food Bank “grocery store,” stocked with dry goods, canned goods, as well as meat, eggs, dairy and produce. Kastner said the number of families being served has increased steadily over the years, with about 10,000 pounds of food donated by local businesses, organizations and individuals going out the door each month. On top of this, the Food Bank also serves classrooms in Bigfork, Swan River, Creston and after-school groups nutritious snacks and provides students at Fair-Mont-Egan with take-home food.  

Volunteers worked over 5,000 hours last year for the Food Bank. “Now what we need to do is, we don’t have any software that supports the Food Bank... we have 68 volunteers with no volunteer database,” Kastner said. With money obtained through the Great Fish Challenge, Bigfork Food Bank hopes to purchase software that can organize volunteers, clients and donors.  

“We’re really excited about it because the Whitefish Community Foundation basically does all the work for you. They advertise it, they make it easy for people to give,” Kaestner said.  

Bigfork ACES after school program is also participating for the first time this year,  

“[WCF] has been a huge support to ACES throughout the years with smaller grants, we did receive a $90,000 grant from them to help us with our middle school program here in Bigfork, so we decided to jump onboard with the Great Fish Challenge to help us raise needed funds wo help us meet our budget,” executive director Cathy Hay said.  

ACES is about $90,000 short on their budget for the year to keep the programs running, and any money raised from the challenge will go towards that. ACES serves about 200 kids in the Bigfork area for their after-school programming, low-income children are able to attend for free. The kids receive dinner and snacks while they’re there. ACES also recently ran a summer camp.  

“If we can meet our budget through the Great Fish Challenge, then we can do what we do best and take care of kids,” Hay said. Making such a large sum in a short amount of time would save the organization from having to run more fundraisers on their own.  

Bigfork Art and Cultural Center is participating in the Great Fish Challenge for the third time this year.  Last year, BACC served over 1,700 participants in programs, hosted over 5,000 visitors in their gallery, workshops, and gift shop, collaborated with 10 nonprofits, four schools and hosted Bigfork First Fridays. Funds raised will benefit these programs, as well as support the hiring of part-time staff.  

“We are hoping to raise $125,000 by year end and 50,000 through the Great Fish.  We are $12,000 in for the Great Fish!” executive director Julie Bottum said. 

To donate to these organizations or others in the challenge, visit https://whitefishcommunityfoundation.org/donation-leaderboard/. Donations are accepted through Sept. 13. The Great Fish Fun Run and Community Celebration will take place Saturday, Sept. 7 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Depot Park in Whitefish. 

    Participants in Bigfork ACES programs pose with the building. ACES will enter the Great Fish Challenge for the first time this year. (Courtesy/Bigfork ACES)
  

    Bigfork Art and Cultural Center will enter the Great Fish Challenge for the third time this year. (Taylor Inman/Bigfork Eagle FILE)