Pumpkins are the most popular product in October, adorning our porches and preparing to be pies. 

Okay, trying saying that fast three times!

Or, a better idea is to buy your pumpkin this year while helping the hungry in Missoula at the same time.

For the 7th year, Missoula's Poverello Center is working with local businesses for the annual "Pumpkins for the Pov", an effort to raise funds critical in helping the agency serve food this coming winter. And that's not only for the people using the shelter on West Broadway, but also folks needing meals to go, or receiving food assistance through different community programs. 

Get our free mobile app

Poverello meals help the hungry across Missoula

"We're trying to raise money for our good programs," explains Poverello Center CEO Jill Bonny. "We serve three meals a day at the Poverello Center for folks in our community. So, not just people staying in the shelter but also individuals in the community that want a meal or need to pick up a sack lunch."

Recently, the Pov partnered with the Meadowlark Housing Center to provide five, hot meals a week. And the agency also serves meals at the Johnson Street Emergency Shelter, which will open this winter. 

That's a lot of food. And with statistics showing 1 in 10 Montanans struggle with hunger, the problem is larger than you may realize. 

With Pumpkins for the POV, you can purchase a variety of pumpkins for food, or decoration at several locations through the end of the month. Those include:

The Good Food Store at 1600 S 3rd St W

Rattlesnake Market at 2501 Rattlesnake Dr.

YMCA Missoula at 3000 S Russell St

Imagine Nation Brewery at 1151 W Broadway St

The Trough at 2106 Clements Rd

Parkside Credit Union Locations: 320 W Broadway St, 4055 Brooks St, and 2300 Great Northern Ave.

After being grown organically and harvested from a local farm, the pumpkins are stored and then distributed from a Blackfoot Communications warehouse, one of several local firms supporting the fund drive, including Townsquare Communications.  

24 Missoula Businesses That Have Closed in the Last Two Years

A large amount of Missoula businesses have closed over the last couple of years for a variety of different reasons. Retirement, COVID-19, changes in ownership.....here's a list of 24 businesses that we've lost.

More From Z100 Classic Rock