Missoula Food Bank & Community Center (MFB&CC) envisions a community that works together in building a hunger-free Missoula where those most impacted are a leading voice in the solutions to poverty and hunger.

We hope to empower caregivers who are the true experts on food insecurity and the challenges that families face. We hope that LEVL participants will feel supported in sharing their stories, using their voices and power to influence decision makers, and to build community within the group.

Rates of food insecurity in 2021 averaged at 10.2%. This increased for households with children (12.5%), households with children under age 6 (12.9%) and households with children headed by a single woman (24.3%). While LEVL is open to anyone, we will center those most impacted by racism, sexism and income inequality in caregiver roles (women and non-binary folks, BIPOC individuals, single parents, etc.).

Expectations/Timeline:

If selected, LEVL participants must commit to four hours per month of program activities. Regular weekly meetings will take place every other Thursday (starting 9/21) from 3-5pm. Additional programs and activities will have varied times throughout the month.

Biweekly monthly group meetings

September 21^st, October 5^th, October 19^th, November 2^nd, November 16^th, December 7^th, December 21^st, January 4^th, January 18^th, February 1^st, February 15^th, March 7^th, March 21^st, April 4^th, April 18^th, May 2^nd, May 16^th

EmPower Place is open during all meetings at MFB&CC for free childcare.

Free meals are provided (or prepared) at every meeting at MFB&CC for families.

Participants graduate after nine months of full participation. Upon completion, graduates receive a Certificate of Completion, have a graduation party for families, and receive invitations to future LEVL group meetings and future speaking opportunities and trainings.

Reimbursement:
MFB&CC provides volunteer participants a nominal reimbursement for time spent implementing this important program, $50 per month for nine months and $100 as a bonus upon full participation (for a total of $550). Incentives are provided in the form of VISA Gift Cards, and are the sole responsibility of the participant. MFB&CC is not responsible for lost or stolen cards, and cannot replace incentive reimbursements. Participants are neither employees nor contractors of MFB&CC, and therefore, MFB&CC holds no responsibility in reporting incentive compensation the IRS or others.

Support:
While supported by MFB&CC staff, this program is designed to be led from within. The program will be steered by the collective interests of participants. Some examples could include: storytelling, cooking classes, financial literacy, public speaking, photography classes, civic and democratic process engagement, self-care and mindfulness.

The group is facilitated by Ashlee Schleicher (she/her) and Emily Bogartz-Brown (they/she). Ashlee is a member of MFB&CC’s leadership team and has personally experienced food insecurity, and unstable housing. Ashlee is a mom to an eight year old boy and is motivated by her own experiences to facilitate this group. Emily joins us with lived experience housing and wage insecurity throughout their early adult life. Through this experience they found strength and purpose from resources within the community, like MFB&CC, and values community building as one of the strongest tools of resistance in the fight for lower and middle class liberation. They both see LEVL as a radical opportunity to build strong relationships with others and within themselves to transform the state of our current world for the better.

Applications:

LEVL applications open August 1^st, 2023 and will be accepted until September 7th, 2023.

Paper applications must be returned to MFB&CC to the attention of Ashlee Schleicher.

To be emailed an application, request one from ashlee@missoulafoodbank.org

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Read aloud with Missoula Public Library

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Nestle in to hear of far-away worlds! Dress up to take part in the story!