Missoula Food Bank to save thousands with solar power

(KPAX) The Missoula Food Bank and Community Center is making major strides towards energy efficiency. The organization unveiled 60 solar panels that will aid in generating electricity for the facility on Thursday.

Executive director of the Food Bank Aaron Brock said the new array will end up saving the food bank roughly $3,500 in annual energy costs, allowing them to divert funds to more programming and food purchase.

At Thursday's solar panel unveiling, Missoula city councilman Bryan vos Lossberg commended the food bank for their efforts in contributing to the city’s 100% clean electricity initiative.

He said they’re the perfect example of how you make progress towards such an ambitious goal.

For Executive Director Aaron Brock, the implementation of solar panels makes sense, as it aligns with their mission to help those less fortunate.

“Climate change and weather disproportionately affect low-income individuals more than others,” said Brock, “So as we not only address the acute instance of hunger in our facility, we also want to be realistic about the things we can do globally that address systemic causes of food insecurity and all the economic injustice that goes along with that.”