North Valley Food Bank holds celebration

North Valley Food Bank invites the public to its Forever June Celebration and grand reopening from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 10.

The event celebrates the food bank’s beloved late founder, June Munski-Feenan, the completion of the food bank capital campaign, and its 45th anniversary. The mission of North Valley Food Bank is to build food security and strengthen communities.

The event is free and will feature house-made pizza, salad and snacks from the food bank’s new commercial kitchen, a beer garden, live music by Jamie Wyman, tours of the completed facility, kids’ activities and face painting, as well as a raffle of a Nancy Cawdrey framed giclée “Stella and the Star” and her retrospective art book “Sky’s the Limit.” Additionally, guests will have the opportunity to participate in an auction of Cawdrey’s original silk painting, “Well Fed.”

A local, award-winning artist, Cawdrey has designed and created the 28 inch by 28 inch vibrant, grizzly bear silk painting to benefit the food bank. Valued at $7,500, it has been donated by Cawdrey Gallery and is being professionally framed by FoR Fine Art in Whitefish, who are also donating the frame.

“I was inspired to donate a painting to raise funds for the North Valley Food Bank because the last couple of years have seen a huge increase in the need for food banks all over the country — and our valley is no different,” Cawdrey said. “Food is a basic human need, and somehow in this country we have not adequately addressed this crucial need … This was in my heart as I painted ‘Well Fed.’”

Online bids for the painting are being accepted through June 20 at 5 p.m. In-person bids will also be accepted at the Forever June event. The painting will be on display at the Cawdrey Gallery in downtown Whitefish, 206 Lupfer Ave., through June 20. The public is welcome. To place your bid text wellfed to 855-202-2100 or bid online at northvalleyfoodbank.rallyup.com/wellfed.

All funds raised through the auction will directly benefit North Valley Food Bank's services during these times of uncertainty and economic hardship for many. North Valley Food Bank provides food assistance to 700 to 850 people weekly through its no-charge grocery store, drive-thru distribution, mobile pantries and senior deliveries in the northern Flathead and neighboring communities. More than 200 new families came to North Valley Food Bank in the first quarter of 2022 – a 69% increase in first-time customers from the previous year.

Along with the Forever June event and auction, the food bank will be holding a Food Drive from June 10 to June 30. Donate non-perishable foods at designated bins in Whitefish grocery stores or onsite at North Valley Food Bank. Additionally, perishables can be received at the food bank Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. North Valley Food Bank is located at 251 Flathead Ave. in Whitefish. More information can be found at northvalleyfoodbank.org or on Facebook or Instagram.

Contact Elizabeth Temple, director of development, at elizabeth@northvalleyfoodbank.org or 406-862-5863 (Ext. 1002) for more information about Forever June or the auction.