Mountain America and Idaho State Athletics Partner to Feed Thousands of Idahoans in ‘Roar for More' Food Drive
Bannock County’s food insecurity rate is 12.1%, higher than the statewide average of 10%; this $5,000 donation will provide more than 20,000 meals for people in need.
On April 25, 2022, Mountain America Credit Union and Idaho State Athletics joined efforts in the “Roar for More” food drive to help the Idaho Foodbank provide food-insecurity relief to Pocatello residents in need. During a formal check presentation held at the eastern branch of the Idaho Foodbank, Mountain America gifted the nonprofit with $5,000 to support the foodbank’s mission of providing people across the state with millions of pounds of food each year.
“This $5,000 donation will provide up to 20,000 meals, helping combat food insecurity in the Pocatello area,” said Rashaud Owens, an Idaho State University athlete from 2020 to 2022. Owens worked with Mountain America to organize the food drive and helped get student-athletes to the event. “There is nothing more important than your community, your family and making a change.”
Bannock County’s food insecurity rate is 12.1%, higher than the statewide average of 10%. According to Feeding America, food insecurity is the nation’s “measure of lack of access … to enough food for an active, healthy life for all households” and “may reflect a household’s need to make trade-offs between important basic needs, such as housing or medical bills, and purchasing nutritionally adequate foods.”
“We are incredibly grateful to Mountain America Credit Union for their generous donation. These funds will help provide nutritious foods to neighbors across southeast Idaho,” said Kia Shaw, eastern branch manager for the Idaho Foodbank. “Across southeast Idaho, one in nine Idahoans can be expected to face food insecurity. With the help of individuals and organizations like Mountain America Credit Union and Idaho State Athletics, we are able to work with our 149 partners to provide much-needed assistance to our neighbors.”
Shortly after the presentation, Mountain America team members and athletes from Idaho State gathered at the Pocatello Idaho Foodbank to help sort and pack food items for distribution to people in need. In just under two hours, the group packaged more than 2,700 pounds of food that will feed over 1,300 families across 16 counties in eastern Idaho.
“We’re so thankful to partner with Idaho State Athletics to help pack food and raise money for an amazing community partner like the Idaho Foodbank,” said Kory Carling, regional manager at Mountain America Credit Union. “It’s important to Mountain America to do what we can to help ensure all Idahoans’ basic needs, like a good, nutritious meal, are met.”
Mountain America hopes to continue the “Roar for More” drive and raise another $5,000 in donations for the Idaho Foodbank. For those interested in supporting the local food distribution center, donations can be made online at the Idaho Foodbank “Roar for More” page. Non-perishable food donations can also be dropped off at Mountain America’s Yellowstone Ave. branch in Pocatello.
“We appreciate our partners at Mountain America, and we love our local community,” said Pauline Thiros, athletic director at Idaho State University. “Working together to serve a tremendous organization like the Idaho Foodbank is a great way for us to roar together!”
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