St. Vincent de Paul Opens Fresh Rescue Kitchen to Combat Food Insecurity

GREAT FALLS — St. Vincent de Paul of Northcentral Montana handles 60,000 pounds of food each month, says Deb Kottel.

Great Falls community kitchen diverts wasted food into free meals

GREAT FALLS — St. Vincent de Paul of Northcentral Montana handles 60,000 pounds of food each month, says executive director Deb Kottel.

“And we can’t keep up with the need,” she stated.

Seeking to better address food insecurity, they envisioned repackaging bulk food and preparing meals for the community.

The kitchen secured permits to cook and repackage food for food insecure community members Credit Matt Hudson MTFP

Mike Dalton, who manages the Westside Orchard Garden, sparked the idea to rescue food otherwise discarded.

“Why can’t we have a kitchen that can rescue food from institutions?” Dalton suggested.

Thus, the Fresh Rescue Community Kitchen launched Thursday in downtown Great Falls. It offers hot meals, food distribution, and educational programs for local kids.

Reducing food waste is central to its mission. ReFED estimates a third of U.S. food gets wasted. St. Vincent de Paul partners with grocers and hospitals to save edible but non-marketable food. Hutterite colonies have generously donated excess produce.

The project started in 2020, when NeighborWorks Great Falls sold their building to St. Vincent de Paul for $1.

“It’s a 130-year-old building, and it was in a bad state of repair,” said Gary Ritter, volunteer coordinator.

Nelson Architects and TD&H donated design services, while AT Klemens provided construction expertise. The 819th Red Horse Squadron from Malmstrom contributed labor. Benefits Health System donated kitchen equipment from closed restaurants, including a walk-in freezer and refrigerator.

Volunteer cook Tony Lucas puts the final touches on the food he prepared for the grand opening reception Credit Matt Hudson MTFP

“This community really stepped up,” Ritter noted.

The renovation involved removing 44 tons of concrete and refurbishing the space. Leadership Great Falls raised funds for a refrigerated van to safely transport food.

Collaborative efforts from the United Way of Cascade County, Boys and Girls Club, Johnson Madison Lumber, Home Depot, Town Pump, and Browning Kimball Foundation brought the project to completion.

St Vincent de Paul Executive Director Deb Kottel center in orange speaks with visitors during the grand opening of the Fresh Rescue Community Kitchen Credit Matt Hudson MTFP

In October 2023, the building renovation was completed, allowing St. Vincent de Paul to start preparing meals for its Angel Room, serving up to 100 meals daily. New partnerships with food suppliers are ongoing. “It’s a phenomenal amount of food that’s going to be diverted,” Ritter said.

The grand opening featured focaccia with donated wild game meat, prepared by volunteer cook Tony Lucas.

As operations expand, St. Vincent de Paul seeks volunteers. “We’re always looking for volunteers in many capacities and disciplines,” Ritter added.


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