After massive leak in roof, nonprofit that runs food pantry raising funds to meet ‘urgent’ needs

POCATELLO – An organization offering help to the hungry is looking to expand its services, and it needs support from the community.

Valley Mission, a nonprofit operating a food pantry in Pocatello, is participating in Avenues for Hope, a statewide challenge that aims to raise funds for housing nonprofits and services. Valley Mission’s goal is to raise $200,000 by Dec. 31, which it plans to use to make “urgent” repairs and move its food pantry to a new location. Eventually, Valley Mission hopes to introduce a variety of services to better the lives of people experiencing food and shelter insecurity.

“We’re not about counting how many people we can get in the building. We’re about counting how many people we can graduate through the programs into the community as success stories. That’s our goal,” said director Karl Pettit.

Valley Mission was started in 2010 as a food pantry in the First Baptist Church. A decade later, in an effort to expand its services, it bought the old Metro Building next door at 442 North Arthur Street.

Its ultimate goal is to introduce the following new services:

• A larger food pantry
• A medical clinic space
• A full-service laundromat
• An emergency overnight shelter
• A program that can be used for up to six months that offers coaching, counseling, and skill-building called the “Transformational Living Program”

Valley Mission has been working to raise funds annually and prepare the building for this expansion, but last week, melting snow leaked through the building’s roof.

“The water actually got under our roof membrane, and so we literally had waterfalls. We just had rain inside the building on our second floor, and the concern with that is we have brand new framing and all new subflooring, and that’s getting soaked,” Pettit said.

The organization is in need of a new roof for its building, which it needs to raise at least $30,000 to replace, and the rest will be used to fulfill phase one of its expansion: moving the food pantry into the new building. So far, the campaign has raised $18,130 toward its goal.

A donor who wished to remain anonymous is matching donations for the new roof, dollar-for-dollar, up to $5,000, making Valley Mission’s goal all the more reachable. Those who wish to can go to the nonprofit’s website and make a donation or to its page on the statewide campaign.

“This is about more than a building — it’s about creating a safe and supportive space where lives can be transformed,” Pettit said in a news release announcing the campaign. “Together, we can give our neighbors the gift of hope and a brighter future this holiday season.”