Goodbye, Sherri: Ronan Bread Basket founding member ends service after 29 years

Sherri McDonald devoted the last 29 years working at an organization she helped create, and although the years have brought a multitude of changes, the mission has remained the same: to feed those in need.

Her work, through the Ronan Break Basket (BB), provided families and those in need with a place to go to get a good meal. To know that someone out there in the community—in the cities of Polson, Ronan, Charlo, Pablo, St. Ignatius—was keeping an eye out for those who might be in need. She was one of those keeping an eye out.

Whatever those needs might be, McDonald devoted close to three decades to make sure hunger was not a problem.

Of course, McDonald is not the only one who worked at the Ronan Bread Basket. Volunteers, good Samaritans, friends and families who donated food over the years made sure McDonald was not alone. Still, as she ends her service, the people in her life at the Ronan Bread Basket let her know she would be missed dearly.

On Saturday, the spotlight was on McDonald. She’s retiring from service and judging from the outpouring of support from friends, fellow volunteers, board members, and people who received help from the BB, she will surely be missed.

In weeks leading up to this weekend’s celebration, McDonald certainly had her fair share of attention: lengthy profiles in the Missoulian and Valley Journal both illuminated the work she’s done over 29 years.

So on Saturday, it wasn’t surprising that McDonald, along with her husband Joe, founder of the Salish Kootenai College, were busy giving hugs as people came up to talk to her.

There was a cake to show the appreciation, which it is unclear if she even got a slice, so busy was McDonald talking with people.

On a table were flowers, a collage of pictures of various people she’s worked with and helped. One certainly gets the impression she had her hand in many activities over the years.

And as you might expect, McDonald took it all in stride—and genuine humility—to accomplish what she feels is faithful mission.

“I’m doing God’s work,” said McDonald.

In a story somewhat resembling a local legend the way she tells it, the Bread Basket started, as you might expect, from humble beginnings.

“I saw a family on the street with nothing to eat,” said McDonald.

From that one brief—perhaps divine if you ask McDonald—encounter, she knew helping people would be something she wanted to do. And she did for 29 years.

In 1987 the Catholic Church created the Renew Program, encouraging parishioners to get out into the community and do some good—“God’s work and showing His Love,” according to the official history of the Bread Basket—and to help the needy.

Around the same time, it was learned that the Faith Lutheran Church, Latter Day Saints, and local senior citizen groups were also engaged in plans to start helping the needy with more urgency.

So it went that among all this new activity, a renewed sense of responsibility in the community, an idea was formed: What if these groups combined their resources and provided even greater amounts of help?

McDonald and others created the Bread Basket board with this very mission—and so it was born.

The board raised money in the form of pledges from other churches, private citizens, and businesses to create the food pantry. They visited Polson Loaves and Fish, another local food pantry, and asked to see their records for ways to operate a non-profit.

Sandy Centers, a representative from the Human Resource Center in Kalispell, became a mentor for the BB. It was Centers who walked the board through the bureaucratic rules and regulations for establishing a non-profit. After a few years and a trip to Washington D.C., Centers filed the paperwork and the BB received its 501-C non-profit status.

Slowly but surely, the BB grew.

The BB was able to acquire a building to be a home base.

By June of that year, equipment such as freezers, shelves, a desk and telephone were donated to be used to conduct the business of helping people get food.

As more and more people became aware of BB in Lake County, McDonald and the other members of the board began to see an increase in attention and, by extension, the amount of food they could provide.

And as McDonald was quick to point out, the help the BB gave over the years is a direct result of generous donations—without which the BB could not do what it does.

The list of donations is long as well as the number of people, groups, and businesses.

Schools such as Ronan, Pablo, and Charlo make an effort every year to encourage students to participate in food drives. 4H clubs, Cub and Boy Scouts, SKC students, ranchers, farmers, the CSKT tribes, banks, local grocery stores, private citizens, private gardens, and fruit orchards are some of the many examples of local donations that came to the BB.

As the BB grew, it became a member of the Montana Feedback Network, where they can buy food in bulk.

People whom the BB helps are referred to as clients. In the past, to be eligible to receive food, one or more persons must be referred to the BB. This usually requires an application and a rundown of household income.

Over the years, the BB has been asked to help families transfer from being on welfare or food stamps and move into self-efficiency.

What started small with eight clients in 1987 now sees around 200 in 2015. Now, perhaps as a result of the Bread Basket’s success and the generous monetary donations, a referral is no longer needed; only the members in the household and their social security cards.

The operations have grown tremendously from these humble beginnings. SKC donated a van to be used for delivery and pick up of food. Wal-Mart donates excess meat as well as Polson Loaves and Fish. Even a local potato farmer in the valley gives excess crops to the BB.

The BB is always looking for volunteers, and the work continues.

If McDonald felt emotional about leaving and retiring as Chairman of the Board, she was all smiles on Saturday afternoon.

92 year-old Katherine Schnase was sitting with Claudia Larsen, enjoying some food at the celebration, and had nothing but good things to say about McDonald. Schnase has known McDonald for over 20 years.

“She’s a really good friend,” Schnase said. “She really cares about people. It’s good for people to get food.”

Larsen agreed, and explained that the BB’s mission is just as crucial these days as in 1987, if not more so.

“The need has grown,” Larsen said concerning the current state of the economy. “There’s still a lot of unemployment. Lake County is not wealthy.”

Monthly expenses for the BB run between $3000 and $5000, and depends heavily on donations. A grant here or there will help on occasion, but in the long run, the donations and volunteers keep the BB going strong.

As for McDonald, she was beaming the whole time. Hugging, laughing, and soaking it in. 29 years is a long time for anything. McDonald is not sure what she’ll do next—spend time with her husband, friends, and families are all possibilities.

Before the cake was cut, and the plaque given to her for her service, McDonald didn’t let the celebration distract from the ongoing work:

“We don’t want to see a child go hungry.”