Food bank moves to temporary distribution site

When the Community Food Bank of Mineral County moved to their location of 45 Mullan Road West in Superior a few years ago, they understood that the building needed repairs.

Afterall, it might have been the oldest commercial building in the town, according to Kaye Strombo with the Mineral County Historical Society and Museum. She wasn’t sure when it was built, but it was in other pictures over 100 years old, she said.

Nonetheless, it was the new home to the food bank, and this is where they would serve their clients and look to the future. 

Rose Duncan is the treasurer and secretary with over 30 years in the organization and is the go-to-gal along with Wanda James, chairman of the board, and Shana Williams who is the assistant manager. Duncan explained that it wasn’t long in their new location that they began the research on financial assistance for the upkeep of the building. 

“In late 2023, we submitted a Preliminary Architectural Report (par) Grant to the State of Montana for engineers to thoroughly examine the structure and advise us on the best way to remodel to make it more user friendly for our staff and clients. The report came back that it was best to demolish and rebuild. It was no longer viable after all the alterations over the past 100-plus years which compromised the buildings’ ability to resist lateral force (strong winds) and the best guidance was to rebuild.”

Ouch! So, they rolled up their sleeves, again, and started the process with the Human Resources Council who provided a grant writer and an architect who mentored the food bank volunteers and provided a rough set of plans for approval from the Town of Superior Council. They held public hearings and documented survey comments from the community who overwhelmingly said that this service was vital to the county and supported the goal of a new building facility.

“On Oct. 21, 2024, The Town of Superior submitted, on behalf of the CFBMC, a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) requesting $750,000 for a new building. This was extensive and time consuming,” Duncan shared. “The bound application has thousands of pages and is about 5-inches thick,” she smiled and said that is at is available to view at the HRC Office at 38 Mullan Road, in Superior. 

In January, they were notified that they had received a grant of $700,000.00 for the building only. 

“None of these funds can be used for any other issues like general operating costs, food, furniture or parking lot improvements, so fundraising is still on going to keep the shelves stocked and we’ve already spent over $20,000.00 of our own money on preliminary costs.”

Because the building was deemed unsafe and could not be used in any way, it was demolished in May and the bare lot has been groomed. Meanwhile, the food bank has a temporary distribution site at the Masonic Temple at 201 River Street next to Mineral Pharmacy in Superior. Duncan said that the Masonic Lodge are gracious and generous with no time constraints on how long this temporary location will exist. 

“Like so many others here, they understand how import this service is to our neighbors. We have adjusted our service dates, however, to every other Friday, but with the same hours from 10 a.m. to noon, and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and we ask our clients to use the north side entrance where the ramp is. Our next distribution will be July 4. (We have such great volunteers!) And then July 18. In August there will be 3 dates; the 1st, 15th and 29th.”

Duncan also stressed that she can be contacted for emergency food distribution at (406) 822-2551 or Shana Williams at (406) 822-4035. 

About the new building, a construction start date has not been determined. The actual size of the facility is being developed but Duncan did say that they plan to dedicate a wall in the waiting area as a tribute to the memories of the building with pictures and stories that are being solicited to be a permanent fixture and testimony for decades to come. 

“Also on display will be plaques of alumni winners for classes that gather the most donations during the All-Class Challenge. The 2nd Mineral County All Class Alumni Challenge starts in July and ends on the first of September. Last year’s winner was the Superior Highschool Class of 1979 and their plaque will be the first one on the wall. A fundraising car wash is planned in July at the old Wells Fargo building and we are planning an event in the empty parking lots as well. More fund-raising efforts will be posted on the CFBMC Facebook page and fliers will be on bulletin boards of what we are doing to raise money,” she said. “Food insecurity is not going away.” 

The Food Bank served 1,773 individuals in 788 households in Mineral County and distributed 26,367 pounds of food in 2024. Currently, the Food Bank serves 60 to 85 people each month.