The Tarkio/Westboro/Fairfax Food Pantry Board met Tuesday, May 9, 2023, with 15 members present. Churches represented were: Fairfax – Baptist, Christian, Methodist and Presbyterian; Tarkio – First Baptist and First Christian; and Westboro – Methodist and St. John’s Lutheran. Sam O’Riley from Community Services, Inc. was also present.

Anita Sutter presided over the meeting. In March, 100 individuals representing 45 families were served. In April, 123 individuals representing 54 families were assisted. Anita presented the treasurer’s report. She also reported that the pantry purchased a new freezer as well as a new furnace.

Providing food for children who will be out of school for the summer was discussed. Last year’s program, Summer of Love, was successful. The program, sponsored by the food pantry board and Community Services, will continue this summer. Each church will be asked to provide specific child friendly foods. Those and/or monetary donations need to be collected at each of the churches by Sunday, June 4. Food pantry board members will meet at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 6, to pack individual boxes to be given out. Questions about the program may be directed to Sam O’Riley at Community Services.

The pantry will be open the third and fourth Tuesdays and Thursdays of May and June from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. It will also be open on the third Tuesday from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. The Tarkio Baptist Church will open the pantry in May and the Fairfax Presbyterian Church will open the pantry in June.

The food pantry is currently low on the following items: apple juice (64 oz.), complete pancake mix, syrup (64 oz.), soups (cream of mushroom, chicken noodle, tomato, cream of chicken, vegetable beef, chili), creamy peanut butter (16 oz.), boxed potatoes (au gratin, scalloped), Blue Bonnet margarine (1 lb. sticks), and laundry detergent.

The next board meeting is July 11 at 9:30 a.m. The food pantry is located at 315 Main Street in Tarkio.