“Last year, the Missoula-headquartered nonprofit Montana Food Bank Network delivered 16 million pounds of food to 360 partner agencies and food banks in all 56 counties in Montana.

It did all that out of an aging warehouse and office building that the organization has long since outgrown.

And due to high housing costs and inflation, food insecurity in Montana shows no signs of slowing down. Nonprofit free food pantries like the Flathead Food Bank in Kalispell and FAST Blackfeet in Browning depend on the Montana Food Bank Network’s deliveries by truck every month.

So, on Thursday afternoon, the Montana Food Bank Network and its partners and affiliates held a groundbreaking and blessing ceremony for a new $15 million facility at 5780 Alloy North, a half mile from their current location.

The Network says the added space will allow it “to double its current storage capacity to just over 53,000 square feet, with room for 1,600 pallets of shelf-stable goods, 160 pallets of fresh produce and 300 pallets of frozen meat, veggies and other goods.”….