We are thrilled to announce that Big Sky Community Food Bank ‍(BSCFB) has officially earned the Big Sky Sustainable Business Achievement, a recognition that celebrates and promotes Big Sky businesses committed to sustainability.

Keeping Big Sky a Sustainable and Livable Community

Big Sky Community Food Bank is a resource hub for area residents, providing free groceries and service navigation. With a team of 4 staff and 135 volunteers, BSCFB has provided hundreds of people with free emergency food and social services.

For BSCFB, inclusivity and sustainability are important. It is their goal to work with individuals and businesses to provide resources for those in need. Not only do they work to provide resources and feed the community, but they also work to keep resources out of the waste stream, which helps build a more sustainable community.

In their own words

“Here in Big Sky we're isolated, and we do have a lack of food options. This means our customers already face barriers in finding quality resources. When we can reuse food that's high quality and nutritious, we provide a really great source for our customers.” - Sarah Gaither, Operations Manager

Sustainability Action Highlights

What Big Sky Community Food Bank Is Doing Differently

Food Donation System: Their donation system gives unopened, surplus groceries a second life by connecting them with neighbors who can use them.
Recycling: Reusing resources is very important to BSCFB. They work hard to recycle all recyclable resources, including plastic bags.
Composting: Sometimes not all food can be given a second life. BSCFB goes above and beyond to repurpose food in any way they can. They work with YES Compost to compost any food items that cannot be eaten or given away.

Food it Forward Program

Big Sky Community Food Bank is creating the Food it Forward program for Big Sky. The program brings together businesses in Big Sky to provide resources and connections for those in need. The main goal of this program is to collect canned donations, dry goods, and certain frozen or produce items from vacation rentals, restaurants, caterers, grocers, food drives, and other businesses.

Sustainability as a Business Advantage

The Big Sky Community Food Bank works with businesses around Big Sky to provide support for thousands of our community members. This year, BSCFB has already helped almost 2000 customers and given out more than 3500 boxes of food. Not only does this help a large number of the community, but it also rescues surplus groceries so they can avoid the waste stream. These actions help save resources, money, and hardship for Big Sky.

LOOKING AHEAD

Growth Opportunity: Yearly Refrigerator Maintenance

One of the benefits of participating in the Big Sky Sustainable Business Achievement program is access to expert sustainability advice. Big Sky SNO has introduced Big Sky Community Food Bank to the importance of yearly refrigerator maintenance. Many Businesses don’t realize that yearly maintenance on commercial refrigerators can make them last longer and run more efficiently, saving both energy and money.

Congratulations to the entire team at Big Sky Community Food Bank on this well-deserved recognition. Their commitment to creating a sustainable and livable community is exactly what the Big Sky Sustainable Business Achievement program is all about.

Get Involved

The Sustainable Business Achievement program is open and ready for your participation. We're here to support you every step of the way, from initial assessment through implementation and recognition. Together, we can build a business community that not only serves our guests and customers exceptionally well but also protects the natural environment that makes Big Sky such an extraordinary place to live, work, and visit.

Ready to get started? Learn more about the Sustainable Business Achievement program and how your business can participate at bigskysno.org/biz.

A Sustainable Win for Big Sky Community Food Bank