Community Action Partnership feeds 100 families this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the time for giving thanks for what we have and for the people around us. It is also the time to help those in need.  

With the goal of feeding 100 families this Thanksgiving, Bonners Ferry Community Action Partnership has exceeded its fundraising goal, raising over $6,000 in less than a month, a shortened timeframe due to a change of organizers.  

CAP has helped many Boundary County residents in the past, with programs for those who are in need of help with food, heating bills and more.  

This year, community action faced some changes with the loss of the team who had previously organized the food drive. Samantha Cote Banuet took over the role of organizing the CAP food drive and fundraising for the Thanksgiving holiday.  

“When one door closed another opened and sent a huge blessing in the form of Samantha Cote Banuet,” said Liz Bigsby-Sanborn, community engagement liaison at Community Action Partnership Bonners Ferry. “Her determination to help, her dedication to the cause and her love for this community outshines us all this holiday season. We are grateful to her for her hard work and grateful to you all who stepped up to donate to our wonderful community members in need. It is a true pleasure to serve you here at Community Action Partnership.”  

Cote Banuet said she got involved in October after mulling around the idea of the Banuet family getting involved in an act of service within the community for Thanksgiving.  

“Having organized food drives in the past, my first thought was to check in with Liz at CAP,” Cote Banuet said. “In our initial conversation, she said the team who organized the Thanksgiving meal drive in the past was not involved this year, as they moved away. I took it upon myself to begin organizing and contacting donors to make the magic happen.” 

Organizing and execution for events of this scale takes time and a lot of help. Both Bigsby-Sanborn and Cote Banuet expressed thanks to all those in the community who helped organize in any capacity and to those who donated to the cause in any way.  

“My husband and son were also both actively involved and are the muscles behind this operation and have been amazing help in getting all these meal kits organized,” Cote Banuet said, giving special thanks to her family.  

Many local businesses contributed to the food drive in a variety of ways., she said. 

“These folks made active contributions to this fundraising and really brought the magic to make this all come true,” Cote Banuet said about how grateful they are to those who helped out with the drive.  

A special thank you goes out to these businesses for their donations and contributions. 

Beck’s Furniture (Thank you, Rich, Sherry, and Rob Beck, for helping delivery of 100-plus turkeys.) 

Grocery Outlet (Thank you, Garrett, for supplying the pies and some turkeys.) 

P1FCU 

The Log Inn 

Safeway Bonners Ferry (Thank you, Scott, in the meat department for supplying the bulk of the turkeys.) 

Alliance Title & Escrow (Thank you, Sharlene and Becca, for supplying the totes for the meal giveaways.) 

BF Fredrickson's Garbage  

Bonners Books 

Boundary Shipping (Thank you, Maria, for helping with the prints.) 

Chapman Excavation 

Froyo Mama Ice Cream 

Kaniksu Community Health 

Martin Wood Products 

Mugsy's Tavern & Grill 

North Haven Campground 

ProX, Western Building Center 

The Monroe Family 

Selkirk Kennels 

State Farm | Michael Wold 

The Medicine Man Pharmacy 

University of Idaho Extension 

Wink Inc 

Young Living Essential Oils 

Highland Flats Tree Farm 

Community Action Partnership serves the 10 northernmost counties in Idaho and Asotin County in Washington and works with communities throughout to provide programs that increase stability for people of all ages and initiatives that offer a springboard for families as they become equipped to exit poverty.