Our Programs
Feeding the Need
Free meals, a 24/7 pantry, and a summer lunch program for kids. Some of it is about need. Some of it is just about sitting down together. All of it is free.
No charge to use our programs, pantry, or meals. Ever.
Nourishing Our Neighbors
How We Feed the Need
Through ongoing events and stationed resources, we offer several ways to supplement the need for food and nourishing meals across our corner of north Idaho. From the Summer Lunch Program to our monthly Community Meal, every one of them is provided free of charge.
Some are a response to hardship. Others exist simply because a community that eats together stays connected. You never have to explain yourself to sit down at one of our tables.
What We Run
Meals, Pantries, and Pickups
Summer Lunch Program
Free lunches for area children and teens every Tuesday, from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM, at the Athol City Park under the brown covered pavilion.
No sign-up and no eligibility check. Kids eat, parents get a break, and nobody has to ask for anything.
Monthly Community Meal
We co-host a free community meal at The Country Boy Cafe on the second Friday of each month, from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM, October through March.
This one is not tied to need. It is an opportunity to gather, fellowship, and connect as a community. Everyone is welcome, and yes, it is free.
Careywood Community Pantry
Our free community pantry stands next to the Careywood Fire Station, in her red and white glory to match. It is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and available to anyone who needs it.
Our volunteers check and replenish it every other week, and contents vary with the weather. We ask for the community’s help keeping it stocked and clean.
Athol Dollar General Pickups
Shortly after Athol Dollar General opened its doors we formed a partnership aimed at avoiding waste and feeding neighbors who need it.
Every Tuesday, and any time they call, we pick up hundreds of items and deliver them to the ABC Food Bank and directly to families.
CoPow Foods & Brighter Life Foundation
Through our partnership with the Brighter Life Foundation we receive healthy, locally sourced meals, each with a protein, a starch, and a vegetable. They arrive prepackaged and microwavable, and they are gluten free and dairy free.
No matter your circumstances, no questions asked, we will feed you. Message us to arrange a pickup in Athol.
Who It Is For
You Do Not Need to Qualify
There is no application, no income test, and no paperwork attached to any of this. If you are hungry, come eat. If your cupboard is bare on a Sunday night, the Careywood pantry is open. If you would just like to sit with your neighbors on a Friday evening in January, the community meal has a chair for you.
No matter your circumstances, no questions asked. We will feed you.
How You Can Help
Keep the Tables Full
Stock the Pantry
The Careywood pantry runs on the community. Shelf-stable food, canned goods, and weather-appropriate items can go straight in any time, day or night.
Serve a Meal
Community meals and summer lunches need hands for prep, serving, setup, and teardown. A single shift is a real help.
Drive a Pickup
Tuesday Dollar General runs and food bank deliveries need drivers with a vehicle that can carry a load.
The Careywood Community Pantry was made possible by partnering with Wyatt Dean Structures and Selkirk Fire Rescue & EMS. Our meals programs run alongside The Country Boy Cafe, Athol Dollar General, CoPow Foods, and the Brighter Life Foundation.
Come Eat With Us
Whether you need a meal or want to help serve one, there is a place for you at the table.
Questions? Call us at (208) 561-5050