Food Pantry Sees Huge Support from Ford Idaho Center Concert Cares Series

Published: October 5, 2023

College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Counseling and Wellness Services wishes to extend a huge thank you to the Ford Idaho Center Concert Cares series and to the CWI employees, students, and their loved ones who volunteered their time to collect food donations for the CWI Food Pantry program.

Counselor and Basic Needs Coordinator, Christy Babcock, and Assistant Director of Counseling and Wellness Services, Jodi Hickenlooper, coordinated the volunteer efforts for CWI, while Director of Marketing at the Ford Idaho Center, Jaci Hill, managed the concert side of things. From June 4 to Sept. 26, volunteers attended more than 20 concerts, mingled with the crowd, and asked for donations.

It wasn’t always easy — remember those hot sweaty 100+ degree days we had in July?! Some concert crowds were more receptive than others. Volunteers always had a story to tell about their experience. In exchange for their efforts, volunteers had the opportunity to attend the concert they worked for. 

The CWI Food Pantry program is pleased to announce that more than $2,000, plus a few boxes of food, was raised to support hungry students this fall.

Thank you so much to the following volunteers and the family and friends they brought with them. We could not have done it without you! 

  • Abigail Wolford

  • Angela Bettis

  • Anna McLean

  • Annie Estvold

  • Caleb Bettis

  • Carla Latta

  • Christian Lybrook

  • Danielle Walker

  • Elizabeth Ortiz Dominguez

  • Gigi Smith

  • Glenn Karn

  • Heather Scanlon

  • Hunter Alvarado

  • Isaias Gonzalez Sanchez

  • Johan Rojas

  • Juan Martinez-Aranda

  • Katie Laubengayer

  • Kristie Canoy

  • Kristin Burbidge

  • Kristina Heydendahl

  • Laura Bagley

  • Maggie Hayes

  • Michael Snow

  • Mila Maes

  • Ryan Gerulf

  • Sienna Montgomery

  • Susan Aydelotte

  • Tami McKenzie

  • Stephen Quintero

Donate to the CWI Food Pantry

Those interested in donating to the CWI Food Pantry can stock appropriate items directly into one of the pantries.

Needed food items:

  • instant soups (ramen, mac-n-cheese, or other instant meals)
  • pull-top cans or pouches of tuna, chicken, and other meats
  • pull-top canned soups, chili, and ravioli
  • individual-sized applesauce or fruit cups and pouches
  • granola bars and similar snack items
  • small jars of peanut butter
  • individual-sized bags of jerky, crackers, trail mix, nuts, and dried fruit
  • instant oatmeal
  • individual-sized juices and milk boxes that do not require refrigeration

Grab-and-go lunch items and snacks are the most utilized items. Canned vegetables, pasta, sauces, and other items a person might take home to make a meal do not move as quickly through our pantries.

Miscellaneous items:

  • plastic silverware (no knives please)
  • paper bowls (no Styrofoam)
  • napkins

Hygiene items:

  • toothpaste and toothbrushes
  • shampoo and conditioner
  • soap and body wash
  • deodorant
  • razors and shaving cream
  • feminine hygiene products
  • hairbrushes and combs

The food pantry cannot accept perishable, expired, or opened items.

People interested in supporting the Food Pantry can also make a monetary donation by visiting CWI’s Give Now page, selecting Other, and designating the gift as a donation to CWI Food Pantry.

Food Pantry locations

For those with questions or in need of more information, contact Christy Babcock at christybabcock@cwi.edu.

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