Montana Food Network receives grant from Avista; Support will benefit the Sanders County food banks

| December 19, 2012 8:48 AM

For some residents of Sanders County, Mont., feeding their families can be one of the biggest challenges they face each month. Six community food banks in Sanders County will have a bit more money to stock their shelves in the months ahead as the result of a $2,400 grant made by the Avista Foundation.

“Community food banks are providing a vital resource in Sanders County. The food banks are able to leverage donations like ours to bring several times their value to help stock the shelves for those in need,” said Tim Swant, Avista Utilities’ Clark Fork License manager. “Small communities like Sanders County rely on neighbors helping each other. Especially in these economic times, Avista is proud to contribute to the food banks and ultimately help those families and seniors in need”

A total of $28,150 is being donated to food banks in Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Montana by Avista Corp. and the Avista Foundation. Funding for these donations comes from foundation funds and company profits. It is not included as a cost to customers in developing retail rates.

2012 Avista and Avista Foundation Annual Food Bank Donations - $28,150

ACCESS, Inc. Medford, OR

Addy Rescue Mission Addy, WA

Asotin County Food Bank Assoc. Clarkston, WA

Bayview Bible Chapel Athol, ID

Bonner Community Food Center Sandpoint, ID

Cheney Food Bank Cheney, WA

Colville Volunteer Food & Resource Center Colville, WA

Community Action Partnership (Funding for the following food banks:

Community Action Partnership of Kootenai County

Community Action Partnership of Benewah County

Community Action Partnership of Shoshone County

Community Action Partnership of Boundary County

Community Action Partnership of Bonner County

Community Action Partnership of Clearwater County

Community Action Partnership of Idaho County

Community Action Partnership of Latah County

Community Action Partnership of Lewis County

Community Action Partnership of Nez Perce & Asotin Counties) Lewiston, ID

Community Action Center of Whitman County, serving Pullman & Colfax, WA Pullman, WA

Community Connection of NE Oregon La Grande, OR

Connell Food Bank Connell, WA

FISH of Roseburg Roseburg, OR

Kettle Falls Community Chest Kettle Falls, WA

Klamath Lake Counties Food Bank Klamath Falls, OR

Lincoln County Care & Share Davenport, WA

Loon Lake Food Pantry & Resource Center Loon Lake, WA

Montana Food Bank Network

(Serving food banks in Sanders County, MT) Missoula, MT

Northport Food Bank Northport, WA

Odessa Food Bank Odessa, WA

Othello Food Bank Othello, WA

Our Place Community Ministries Spokane, WA

Peaceful Valley Neighborhood Assoc. Spokane, WA

Post Falls Food Bank, Inc. Post Falls, ID

Priest River Food Bank Priest River, ID

Rathdrum Community Food Bank Rathdrum, ID

Ritzville Food Pantry Ritzville, WA

Second Harvest Spokane, WA

Senior Citizens of Chewelah Valley Chewelah, WA

Sojourner’s Alliance Moscow, ID

Spirit Lake Food Bank Spirit Lake, ID

Sprague-Lamont 4-H Club Sprague, WA

United Community Action Network Grants Pass, OR

Spokane Valley Partners Spokane, WA

Valley Food Pantry Valley, WA

Washington Gorge Action Programs Bingen, WA

Warden Food Pantry Warden, WA

West Bonner County Food Bank Priest River, ID

About Avista Foundation

The Avista Foundation, established in 2002 with dollars from the sale of appreciated Itron stock, focuses its giving on grants to 501(c)3 non-profit organizations that strengthen communities and enhance the quality of life for people served by Avista Utilities in eastern Washington, northern Idaho, southern Oregon and Sanders County, Montana. The foundation focuses its giving in the areas of:

• education – K-12 education particularly in the fields of science, math and technology; and higher education including scholarships,

• vulnerable and limited income populations – providing assistance to those on limited incomes and support for initiatives to reduce poverty,

• economic and cultural vitality – supporting projects that help communities and citizens to grow and prosper.

Information on the Avista Foundation is available at www.avistafoundation.org . The Avista Foundation is a separate, non-profit organization established by Avista Corp.

About Avista Corp.

Avista Corp. is an energy company involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy as well as other energy-related businesses. Avista Utilities is our operating division that provides electric service to 361,000 customers and natural gas to 320,000 customers. Our service territory covers 30,000 square miles in eastern Washington, northern Idaho and parts of southern and eastern Oregon, with a population of 1.5 million. Avista’s primary, non-regulated subsidiary is Ecova. Our stock is traded under the ticker symbol “AVA.” For more information about Avista, please visit www.avistacorp.com or www.avistautilities.com.