Churches unite to feed front-line workers

Pastor Randy Passons of Bigfork’s CrossRoads Christian Fellowship had his arms full Thursday afternoon outside the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office. Donning a cloth mask covered in words like “hope” and “faith”, he transported dozens of sack lunches into the patrol room to the delight of the deputies on duty. Each bag was loaded with a variety of goodies — granola bars, beef jerky, fruit and other high-energy staples — that officers can easily grab on their way out the door to snack in between calls.

Deputy Paula Sullivan with the Sheriff’s Office said having the meals on hand saves deputies from having to enter stores while on shift, making them safer and more able to focus on doing their jobs.

“Our guys are out there working hard,” Sullivan said. “It’s been incredibly humbling to have so many people be so appreciative … We’re very thankful for that as a group.”

Passons’ drop-off was one step in a larger, community-wide effort among seven local churches to feed workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, from ER nurses and 911 dispatchers to police officers in Kalispell, Whitefish and Columbia Falls.

“I feel that it was a great way for the churches of Flathead Valley to come together and work together on a project like this where we each could pitch in and make a difference and show these officers that we care about them,” Passons said. “We appreciate what they’re doing, being out on the front lines.”

Each church “adopts” an organization and commits to supply that group with healthy food once or twice each week. On Mondays, Easthaven Baptist Church feeds Kalispell Police Department, on Tuesdays, Calvary Lutheran supplies the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, and so forth. Other participating worship centers include Calvary Chapel, Canvas Church, Family Life Center, Hope Church and CrossRoads Christian Fellowship.

Spearheading the effort is Bill “Cowboy” Miles, the outreach coordinator for Valor Equine Therapy, a nonprofit that helps veterans and first responders suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. With assistance from Hope Church’s Pastor David Halliburton, the duo was able to link churches with local agencies.

“If we give them the basic things that they can’t find in the store and show them a little love and appreciation for the jobs that they do, it keeps their spirits up,” Miles said. “We’re in Montana. We’ve got good people here. They’ve been really, really good about stepping up.”

In addition to coordinating lunches, Valor has also supplied local law enforcement, health-care workers and veterans with essentials that were hoarded early on in the pandemic, such as sanitizer and toilet paper. Extra meals have been distributed to homeless people, the Northwest Montana Veterans Food Pantry and Ray of Hope.

These good deeds have inspired other acts of generosity, too. When Miles placed a $1,500 order for hand sanitizer from Bozeman’s Wildrye Distillery, the owner learned what Valor was doing and donated the entire thing. Montana Highway Patrol aided in the effort by shuttling the sanitizer all the way from Bozeman, saving the organization shipping costs. And when Valor has ordered meals for local responders, many area businesses like Kalispell Koffee, Dickie’s Barbecue and Firehouse Subs, have donated all or part of the order.

“No other time in the valley has this mission been greater,” Miles said. “Every single one of us has the ability to change somebody else’s life and we ought to accept that responsibility.” ■