MISSOULA, Mont. — Governor Greg Gianforte came to Missoula Thursday morning to spread some Christmas cheer.
His first stop was the Salvation Army to help pack and distribute gifts to Montana families in need.
“For 150 years, the Salvation Army has been providing gifts at Christmas, and they’ve been spreading the good news this Christmas season, I am so thankful for all of the work that they’ve done serving 700 families each year, so every child has some presents under the tree,” said Gianforte.
The Salvation Army Northwest helps people overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships through a range of services.
NBC Montana talked with Major Robert Covert who tells us it is so rewarding to provide local children Christmas presents each year.
“To see the expressions on the faces of the parents knowing that when their kids wake up, Christmas morning there is going to be something under the tree, to see that there’s a way that we can help the community and to help the parents in need to make sure that the kids get to enjoy Christmas,” said Covert.
Gianforte also stopped at the new 53,000 square foot Montana Food Bank Network (MFBN) facility, which is expected to wrap up by early summer.
The new facility is more than twice the size of the current facility, allowing them to serve more agencies across the state.
“100% of it is funded by our private donors, and so a lot of corporations, foundations, and individual donors have all been extremely generous in supporting this project,” said Gayle Carlson, the President and CEO of the Montana Food Bank Network.
Gianforte then traveled to the current MFBN facility to help pack some distribution boxes for the holidays.
“This new facility that the Montana Food Bank Network is building, they will cut the ribbon in June, will significantly increase their capacity. They serve all 56 counties in Montana, today, because they don’t have the space they are turning food away, they are turning shipments away and they will be able to serve a lot more people in this new facility,” said Gianforte.
