The Kamut for Community Bread Program (the Bread Program) is a flagship initiative designed to make nutritious bread accessible to underserved communities while supporting local and native growers. By producing preservative-free bread using Montana-grown whole wheat and kamut, the program bridges the gap between affordability and nutrition, addressing the dual challenges of food insecurity and health equity.
Established in 2017, the Bread Program was created to respond to the high cost of bread and the scarcity of healthy, affordable options for many families. Recognizing the pivotal role of bread as a staple food, LFRC committed to producing high-quality loaves that nourish communities and align with our mission of fostering health and sustainability.
A cornerstone of the program’s success is our collaboration with the Yellowstone Basin Food Pantry Collaborative, a regional partnership of the greater Montana Food Pantry Collaborative, which includes Helping Hands Food Pantry (serving the Crow Nation), Northern Cheyenne Food Pantry, and Gardiner Food Pantry. These partnerships ensure the program’s reach extends to some of Montana’s most underserved populations and would provide 27,600 loaves of nutritious, preservative-free bread made from locally grown, native grains to our most vulnerable community members across four rural counties, including those in two tribal nations, a year, ensuring access to nutritious and delicious food where it’s needed most.
Additionally, the Bread Program prioritizes sourcing ingredients locally, including kamut grown and milled by the Chippewa Cree at the Rocky Boy Reservation and organic whole wheat from Montana Flour and Grain. These collaborations not only elevate the quality and sustainability of the bread but also support economic opportunities for Montana farmers and tribal communities, reinforcing the program’s commitment to community-driven solutions.
By combining innovation, collaboration, and a steadfast commitment to community well-being, the Bread Program exemplifies a holistic approach to addressing nutrition security while building stronger, more resilient food systems. It stands as a model for how local initiatives can tackle pressing social challenges with sustainable, impactful solutions.
As of November 1, 2024, the Livingston Food Resource Center (LFRC) made the difficult decision to close its bakery retail operations in order to focus on our core mission: addressing food insecurity and supporting our ten food access programs. We understand this change may have been surprising to many in our community, as the bakery produced beloved baked goods and fostered a sense of connection.
Originally designed as a revenue stream to fund our programming, the bakery could no longer sustain itself financially. This required us to have hard conversations about how to best allocate our resources to ensure we can continue meeting the needs of our most vulnerable neighbors.
As stewards of our mission, we have a fiduciary responsibility to make decisions that prioritize the well-being of our clients, donors, and community. While this decision was not easy, it was necessary to uphold our commitment to fighting food insecurity in Park County.
We encourage our community to support the other wonderful bakeries in town and deeply appreciate your understanding as we focus on serving those who need us most. Together, we can continue building a stronger, healthier future for all.
