BLAINE COUNTY, Idaho — The Blaine County Hunger Coalition, which fights food insecurity in the community, opened its programs to commuters in September.
"We always just do our best to rise to the needs of our community," spokesperson Kristin McMahon said. "We really want to support our workforce in every way possible."
The Bellevue nonprofit previously only served people who lived and worked in the county. However, McMahon said they kept hearing this summer about people who commute to Blaine County needing help affording groceries.
That includes people from Shoshone, Jerome, Twin Falls and Fairfield. McMahon said many of them "bust traditional stereotypes of people who need food."
She said workers are often priced out of the county because wages are not high enough to keep up with the cost of living.
The Blaine County Housing Authority and Wood River Land Trust released a study in July, which shows the median home price in the county was $1 million last year. Only people making 300% of the area's median income or more than $238,000 can afford that price tag.
"We serve the hardest working people in Blaine County and now outside Blaine County, and it's folks that are having to work several jobs and to put food on the table for their family," she said.
McMahon said scheduling conflicts and long hours often prevent people who drive into Blaine County for work from getting food in their hometowns. The Hunger Coalition is the only full-time food pantry within 200 miles.
The nonprofit, which serves thousands of people each month, offers several programs, including grocery boxes people can pick up twice a month and weekly community meals. People can also trade time working in the greenhouses for fresh produce.
McMahon said they had added a couple dozen more people to their distribution list since the switch was announced this month and hopes to help even more in the coming months.
"There's absolutely no shame in asking for help, " she said, "and this is just a really, really joyful, inclusive place for the whole community."