Upper Susitna Food Pantry receives 1,250lb food donation

After moving to Talkeetna in 2008, James Scott aimed to create a sustainable farm for him and his family, so he began stockpiling dry goods like beans, potato flakes, and pasta.

Sixteen years passed, and Scott is moving on. He’s leaving Alaska to move in with his son, but had a lot to get rid of before the big move.

He is “getting rid of everything, including a lot of food that [he] had stored,” he said, “so anything that looked like it was still edible, [he] donated to the food bank.”

Scott’s donation totaled 1,250 pounds worth of food, which he gave to the Upper Valley Food Pantry. He said he’s had to rely on the food pantry before and understands the importance it plays for many families in the community.

LouAnne Carroll-Tysdal, the Executive Director of the food pantry, said donations like Scott’s are crucial.

Ongoing delays with Alaska’s nutritional assistance program, SNAP, make getting food difficult for many statewide, but Carroll-Tysdal said that’s only part of the problem locally. Many businesses in the Upper Valley are seasonal, meaning during the winter off months, a lot of people rely on savings. Carroll-Tysdal said January through March are when those living seasonally depend on the food pantry the most.

Carrol-Tysdal says the food pantry is extremely grateful for donations like Scott’s. She says they provide much needed relief for individuals and families in need.