VFW Post 5423 and its Auxiliary conducted a food drive on Aug. 31 for a school district’s pantry that feeds Mountain Home, Idaho, residents in need.
Volunteers from VFW Post 5423 and its Auxiliary collect food on Aug. 31 for the Bear Necessities Pantry, located in Mountain Home, Idaho. Post and Auxiliary members collected 2,260 pounds of food, which sould provide food to about 160 Mountain Home families. VFW POST 5423 PHOTOPost and Auxiliary members set out to aid the Bear Necessities Pantry, located at a local alternative school. Volunteers from the Post and Auxiliary collected more than 2,260 pounds of nonperishable goods from patrons of a local Walmart through an eight-hour period. The donations should provide food to approximately 160 families and last the pantry for about six months.
Ashlie Lambrecht, a Bennett Mountain Community School coordinator, said she had never seen the pantry so full of food after the donation.
“The VFW’s effort in raising over 2,000 pounds of food for our school's pantry went beyond all expectations,” Lambrecht said. “We are incredibly grateful and proud to be recipients of such generous support.”
About 8.6 percent of Idaho’s population are veterans. About 23 percent of Idaho veterans live in Mountain Home, which is located about 12 miles northeast of Mountain Home Air Force Base. The base is home to more than 6,000 family members, 4,500 active-duty military members and 650 civilian employees.
This article is featured in the 2024 October issue of Checkpoint. If you're a VFW member and don't currently receive the VFW Checkpoint, please contact VFW magazine at magazine@vfw.org.