From breaking ground last September on its new facility to operating through the winter out of the Masonic Lodge in Superior, the Mineral Community Food Bank has reached another milestone.

The organization is now fully operating from its new facility and serving clients on Fridays. The new building consists of two modular units with a layout carefully designed by Bechtle Architects of Bozeman in collaboration with the food bank's volunteer team. The design ensures the space is functional, efficient and accessible for both volunteers and clients.

Key features include separate restrooms, a mechanical room and a loading dock for semi-truck deliveries, improving both safety and logistics. The facility also offers an indoor waiting area, eliminating the need for clients to remain in their vehicles, a private office to ensure confidentiality and a bulk breakdown area that allows volume purchases to help reduce operating costs. 

Volunteers are still discovering just how much additional storage space they have, but everyone agrees it is a significant improvement. 

"Not only that, look at the lighting," said Wanda James, CFBMC President, pointing to the ceiling lights and large windows. "When we were at the Masonic Lodge, we had to use my little lamps. Even our clients couldn't see very well."

The new delivery door has also been a major improvement. Semi-trucks can now back directly up to the loading dock and unload using a pallet jack donated by Doug Hutchins, former owner of the Montana Bar, which once housed the food bank before the building was torn down. 

"He's been super supportive," James said. "This has made receiving deliveries so much easier for everyone. We used to have a bucket brigade where one person handed items to another and then another until we got everything up to the platform."

All incoming food must be weighed, a process made easier by a scale conveniently located in the loading area. 

"This is where we create the bags," James explained as volunteers assisted clients last Friday. "We just received 90 pounds of donated food from people who picked up their commodity shipments Wednesday. They took what they could use and brought us the rest to distribute. It fits right on our shelves, and it's even the same brand." 

James said such donations are greatly appreciated. Accurate records are maintained so all donated items are properly documented. The lobby provides a comfortable waiting area, and volunteers say the customer flow process is running smoothly.

"We need people to know they can drive right up to the front steps, so they don't have to carry their groceries so far to their vehicles," volunteer Gordon Albert said. "Most of the kinks have been worked out, so it's really just fine-tuning at this point." 

Volunteer receptionist Heidi Porret greets families as they arrive and makes sure children receive goody bags while parents or guardians complete the necessary paperwork. 

"I love seeing the people we help and knowing we're making a difference," Porret said.

Did the $700,000 grant the Town of Superior received through the Community Development Block Grant program cover all the project's costs? No. Fundraising efforts continue, and cash donations are deeply appreciated, along with donations of nonperishable food items. 

The Mineral Community Food Bank is located at 308 Pine St. in Superior. The food bank is open Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call 406-822-3471.