Last Friday afternoon, the Bread Basket Food Pantry in Ronan was staffed by volunteers Joan Howell, Helen Sorenson, Judy Stevenson and Marlena Burden.

“We were very concerned about the SNAP benefits being cut,” Howell said of one of the impacts of the recent government shutdown. However, she said pantry volunteers hadn’t had great numbers of new people, just a few they hadn’t seen before or those who don’t visit the pantry often.

“The generosity of the community is one of the things we have noticed,” Howell said.

One example is the 200 pounds of hamburger the Western Montana Stockmen’s Association gave the Bread Basket – a much-appreciated donation because meat is expensive and an item the pantry has to purchase itself. The WMSA also brought over condiments from a banquet they’d hosted, items the pantry can’t afford to purchase.

Lots of people do food drives for holiday food baskets for the Bread Basket, the women agreed, and noted that the community has really stepped up recently with cash or food donations. During the early fall, the Bread Basket gets produce from many local gardens, and they’re well stocked with squash.

Also, local stores such as Pablo Family Foods, Harvest Foods, Walmart Supercenter and Dollar General all donate food.

The Bread Basket is funded by donations and grants, including an annual infusion from the Town Pump Foundation, which also donated $1 million in emergency grants to food banks around the state during the SNAP crisis. The Bread Basket received $8,000.

The pantry sponsors and pays for the backpack program for Ronan and Pablo elementary school children on weekends who are going from “two meals a day at school to who knows,” Howell explained.

Ronan Middle School and Ronan High School each have a food pantry at school so older kids can choose food if they need it. They also sponsor Charlo School District’s backpack program. The non-perishable and shelf-stable food comes from the Montana Food Bank Program.

Donations of cash or non-perishable items are always welcome, and even more so during the holiday season. The pantry, located at 10 Sixth Ave. SW, is open from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays and 4-7 p.m. Thursdays.