Community briefs

Food Hub training workshop begins

Montana local food producers and business entrepreneurs interested in community food hub start-ups are invited to participate in a free online Food Hub training workshop on Tuesdays from noon to 1 p.m. on Feb. 7, Feb. 14 and March 7, March 14 and March 21, 2023. Visit https://www.hopamountain.org/local food-for-local-families for information on how to join this five-part training series offering education and discussion about what a food hub is, various potential business structures, available software for networking local food producers, hubs and buyers together, and an opportunity to hear from a panel of existing successful Montana food hub businesses.

Grassroots community food hub enterprises support Montana farmers, ranchers and value-add producers while helping ignite community economic development.

Annika Charter-Williams, rancher and founding member of the Yellowstone Valley Food Hub in Billings says, "Our food hub played an important role in providing our community with local food during the pandemic. Yellowstone Valley Food Hub continued to grow and serve our surrounding community and local producers but not without growing pains and learning curves. We were lucky to have resources to turn to when making big decisions.”

The Food Hub training program is offered by Hopa Mountain in partnership with Mission West Community Development Partners, Local Food Marketplace and others. For additional information about rebuilding community food systems, please visit https://www.hopamountain.org/local-food-for-local-families or call Hopa Mountain’s main office at 406-586-2455.

Community meals

Community Kitchen-Feeding the Flathead offers the following free meals in Kalispell during January. All meals are served at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted and everyone is welcome.

Adventure Church, Fourth Street West and Second Avenue West — Jan. 27

Bethlehem Lutheran, 603 S Main Street — Jan. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

Central Christian Church, 248 Second Ave. E. — Jan. 3, 10, 17, 24, 25, 31

Calvary Lutheran Church, 2200 U.S. 2 E. — Jan. 2, 5, 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30

First Presbyterian Church, 540 S Main Street — Jan. 5, 12, 19, 26

Hungry Horse Elementary School — Jan. 26

St. Richard’s Catholic Church, 1210 Ninth St. W., Columbia Falls — Jan. 30, 31, 5 p.m.

Free West Shore Community Dinner

Chili and cornbread, at The Gathering Place, 238 S. Adams St. (across from Lakeside Elementary) in Lakeside — Jan. 13, 5 - 6:30 p.m.