LIVINGSTON — LIVINGSTON - The Livingston Food Resource Center sees a lot of people, and on Friday Governor Gianforte stopped by.
"So I have a check for you that represents a quarter of my pay from last year,” said Gov. Greg Gianforte.
The Food Resource Center serves Livingston residents and has seen a substantial increase recently.
“Right off the back when the pandemic hit us, we experienced a 300 percent increase in the number of household visits," said Michael McCormick, former executive director.
Governor Gianforte donated a quarter of his salary to help the food resource center which makes a point to do more than just provide food.
“The research we did, pointed to the root causes of why people were in our food pantry, and what became apparent to us was that the issue wasn’t just hunger," said McCormick. "It was the fact that people were living in poverty and struggling with a wide array of challenges.”
And the governor seemed to really like their approach to helping the community.
“They have an innovative model that’s benefiting not only their customers but also local farmers," said Gianforte. "That’s why I was really proud to be able to give them part of my salary from this past year to help them have more of an impact here in Park County.”
About 85 percent of the food served at the center is purchased through donated funds, but the center goes beyond that need.
The innovation that happens here," said George Peirce, current executive director. "So, maybe someone’s reason for being here is because they can’t hold down a job because of mental health issues and so we’ve brought in counselors to help with that.”
While someone may not be able to donate a portion of their salary, the Governor says this is the season to do something.
“You can donate your time," said Gianforte. "You might donate a pint of blood. You might come and volunteer at the Livingston Food Resource Center. These are all things you can do. If you can give money, great, but if not give your time.”
This was the 6th stop on the Governor’s 12 Days of Giving Tour.
