Can the Cats
Join Us!
Can the Cats
Can the Cats Raises Canned Food Drive is Coming Up!
- November 9th - November 23rd, 2024 -
Each year, the University of Montana community and the community surrounding Montana State University compete to see who can raise the most food for their local food bank. Last year, it was Griz Nation who brought home the gold by collecting over 870,000 pounds of food!
Now in its 25th year, help us bring home the gold again!
There is more than one way to Can a Cat - including donating food and funds (1 lb = $1), hosting a food drive, attending community events, or just spreading the word! Check out these options below and see which one works best for you!
We love this statewide drive because it brings in such an abundance of food to feed both communities, while also providing an increased variety of items and brands to stock on our shelves which we are unable to regularly provide otherwise.
Special thanks to our sponsors, Clearwater Credit Union, University of Montana, Blackfoot Communications, the Missoula Paddleheads, and YOU for your generous support! As the primary resource for emergency food services in Missoula County, Missoula Food Bank & Community Center serves one in five people in Missoula County – nearly 25,000 individuals and 7,500 households. Thank you and go Griz!
In 2023, the Missoula community raised a grand total of 870,192 lbs/$s in food & funds for our local Food Bank! Help us nourish our friends & neighbors experiencing food insecurity in our community this year and help us CAN the MSU Bobcats off the field!
ways you can help
Join the Team
Every pound counts towards our goal- so bring the heavy stuff! Drop off donations at Missoula Food Bank & Community Center’s back alley donations door at 1720 Wyoming St. or any Can the Cats donation drop spot listed below.
$1 = 1 lb and every donation counts during this two-week drive. Our food bank buying power goes even further than it does at the grocery store. Donate online, in person, or by mail and let us do the purchasing! Checks can be made out to Missoula Food Bank & Community Center (or Missoula Food Bank) and mailed or delivered to us at 1720 Wyoming St, Missoula, MT 59801. Cash donations also accepted!
Rally your coworkers, teammates, & friends to collect food & funds all drive long! Join over 50 community and on-campus organizations in nourishing community! Register your drive so we can keep you stocked with bins & grins!
Rally your businesses, clubs, or groups to outraise your peers in an easy online fundraising campaign! You'll get your own individual fundraising page/link that you can share out to your coworkers, friends, and network to have them help raise funds!
This option makes it easy to keep track of your team's total, as well as individual totals for a friendly in-house competition. You can also see how your fundraising compares to other like groups in the community for a friendly industry competition! Every dollar counts!
November 9th-23rd, 2024
- Kick-Off at Washington Grizzly Stadium: November 9th
- Drives running all over town starting Nov 9th | Pick your favorite place to donate in the community or bring your donations directly to the food bank!
- Community Events throughout the drive: local brewery pint nights, community coffee donation days, sporting events, and more! Check our social media for more information.
- University of Montana Events: For more information on University of Montana Can the Cat events, please check out the UM Food Pantry page here.
- Weigh-In Day: November 22nd | Community Drives bring in their food donations to be weighed and stored ahead of the big game!
- Final day to donate: November 23rd | Finish the drive strong by bringing donations to the food bank before the end of the first quarter of Brawl of the Wild!
Missoula Food Bank & Community Center Donation Drop Off Hours:
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 8am – 7pm
- Wednesday, Friday: 8am – 1pm
- Please drop off donations at our back-alley donation door.
Thank you to our Sponsors!
Touchdown Title Sponsors
Souper Bowl Kicker Sponsors
Quarterback Qualifier Sponsors
Bountiful Blitzer Sponsors
Donate Food
Community Drop Spots for Food
- Clearwater Credit Union - Brooks Retail - 2237 34th St
- Clearwater Credit Union - Brooks HQ - 3600 Brooks
- Clearwater Credit Union - Downtown - 126 W Spruce St
- Clearwater Credit Union - Reserve - 2610 N Reserve St
- Clearwater Credit Union - Russell -1775 S Russell St
- Clearwater Credit Union Stevensville - 107 Main St
- 5 Valleys Urology - 2875 Tina Ave Ste 101
- Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church - 301 S 6th St W
- Aqua Creek Products - 9889 Garrymore Ln
- Boone Karlberg - 201 W Main St, Unit 300
- Christ the King Parish - 1400 Gerald Ave
- Collective Elevation - 211 W Broadway
- Conflux Taphous - 210 N Pattee St
- Copper Run - 2200 Great Northern Ave
- Design Air - 1510 Bulwer St Unit C
- Double Tree Missoula - 100 Madison Ave
- Downtown Missoula Partnership - 218 E Main St, Ste C
- Draught Works - 915 Toole Ave
- Envision Eyecare - 700 South Ave W
- ERA Lambros Community Foundation - 3011 American Way
- Famous Daves Bar-B-Que - 2915 N Reserve
- Felton Dental - 1750 Brooks St
- First Interstate Bank - 3502 Brooks
- First Interstate Bank - 101 E Front St
- First Interstate Bank - 2500 N. Reserve
- Florence Coffee Co - All 12 Bitterroot Locations (Nov 15 - 16)
- Frosteez Cannabis Company - 1275 W Broadway
- Frugals - 2405 Reserve St
- Garlington, Lohn & Robinson, PLLP - 350 Ryman St
- Glacier Ice Rink - 1101 South Ave W
- Granite Technology Solutions - 1600 North Ave W, Ste 108
- Hellgate Elementary - Flynn Lane
- Hilton Garden Inn - 3720 N Reserve St
- Horizon Credit Union - 1502 Dearborn Ave Ste A
- Horizon Credit Union - 2330 S Reserve St
- Last Best Store - 2901 Brooks St, Ste A6
- Meadowhill Middle School - 420 S Russell
- Missoula Broadcasting Company - 2620 Radio Way, Ste B
- Missoula County Administration Building - 199 W Pine
- Missoula County Courthouse Annex - 200 W Broadway
- Missoula County Health Department - 301 W Alder
- Missoula International School -- 808 S. Third St W.
- Missoula Office of Public Assistance - 2677 Palmer, Ste 100
- Missoula Organization of Realtors - 724 Burlington Ave
- Missoula Osteostrong - 1502 Dearborn Ave, Ste B
- Missoula Paddleheads - 140 N. Higgins Ave
- Missoula Public Library (baby food drive) - 455 E. Main
- Missoula Symphony Association - 200 N. Higgins Ave
- Missoula Valley Montessori (baby food drive) - 2811 Latimer St
- MMW Architects - 125 W Alder St
- Montana Gift Corral - 117 W Front Street
- Morrison & Maierle - 1055 Mount Ave
- Mountain Kids Pediatrics (baby food drive) - 2825 Fort Missoula Rd Ste 201
- Mountain Line - 1221 Shakespeare St
- Murdochs Missoula - 2801 W. Broadway
- Old Sawmill District - 945 Wyoming St Ste 120
- Orangetheory Fitness Missoula - 100 Madison Ave
- Pacific Steel Recycling - 2828 Palmer St
- Partnership Health Center - 401 Railroad St W
- Paxon Elementary School - 101 Evans Ave
- PEAK Health & Wellness - 5000 Blue Mtn Rd
- Peak Performance Physical Therapy - 1940 Harve Ave
- Providence St. Patrick - 500 W. Broadway
- PureWest - 101 Railroad St W
- Range Physical Therapy & Wellness - 945 Wyoming St, Ste 135
- Resource Assistance Center - Dillon
- Runway Fashion Exchange - 3121 Brooks St
- Sentinel Kiwanis Club - 1001 SW Higgins Ave, Ste 201
- Spark 1 Montana - 400 E. Broadway
- St. John the Baptist Catholic Church - Frenchtown
- Straight 6 Archery - 1200 S Reserve, Ste A
- Sussex School - 1800 S 2nd St W - Fifth Grade
- Target Range School - 4095 South Ave W
- The Wren - 201 E Main St
- TrailWest Bank - 11300 US Hwy 93 S
- Vibrant Hearing - 317 S. Orange St
- Village Health and Rehabilitation - 2651 South Ave W
- Village Senior Residence - 2815 Old Fort Rd
- WGM Group, Inc. 1111 E Broadway
- YMCA Missoula - 3000 S Russell
Donate Food
University of Montana Drop Spots for Food
- Brantly Hall
- Aber Hall
- President's Office
- ASUM Office
- Mansfield Library
- UM Vault
- Admissions/Gilkey Basement
- University Hall/VPSS
- HR/Lommasson
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy
Thank you to our Can the Cats Partners!
Download Materials
Marketing Toolkit
Questions?
Looking to get involved? Contact Missoula Food Bank & Community Center at 406.541.0765 or email us below.
Thank you for helping us nourish our community!
Facts On
Food Insecurity
1 in 5
We currently serve 1 in 5 people in Missoula County – nearly 25,000 individuals and 7,500 households – through our choice-model store, rural satellite pantries and special programs serving children and seniors.
