About the Big Sky Food Bank
The Big Sky Community Food Bank was founded in 2012.
A partnership between Big Sky community members and the Human Resource Development Council.
Staff
Sarah Gaither Bivins
Operations Manager
In October 2013, Sarah answered an ad. in the Lone Peak Lookout and became the first and only employee of the Big Sky Community Food Bank. It was a part-time gig, so she supplemented by working for Big Sky Resort’s front desk and ski school, Wildwood Nursery, All Saints in Big Sky and a refugee support non-profit called USA Hello. Sarah earned degrees in Sociology (BA) and Educational Leadership and Policy (MA) focusing her work in sustainable community development. Sarah also serves on several committees including the Big Sky Chamber, the Big Sky Housing Trust, the Big Sky Chapel, SNO, Navigator Network and Gallatin Refugee Connections. She is very thankful the Big Sky community has supported the Food Bank in becoming a more robust wrap-around Resource Center and the ability to hire two amazing part-time staff. After 6 years in Big Sky, Sarah now lives in Bozeman with her husband, Kurt. They love to travel, camp, float, stomp along to live music and play on the Smokey Bear Softball team.
Laine Hegness
Operations Assistant
Laine moved to Big Sky in 2015 and volunteered at the Food Bank for 5 years before joining the staff in 2020. In addition to her role here as Operations Assistant, she also works at the Big Sky Public Library as the Assistant Children’s Librarian.
On the weekends, you may find her in the park or on the trails with her husband, step-daughter and two dogs. Her other hobbies include mountain biking, reading and cooking/baking.
Candice Brownmiller
Operations Assistant
Candice has lived and worked in Big Sky since 2006. When Covid shut down the country in March of 2020, Candice came on staff part time as the Operations Assistant to help Sarah take care of the Big Sky community. In the past, she has volunteered at the Food Bank and was on the Advisory Council in 2014 and 2015. Candice loves traveling, skiing, wake surfing, playing softball for the Bears, and hiking in her free time. She is working hard to save money for her upcoming hike on the PCT, which will complete her triple crown long distance thru-hiking.
Jill Holder
HRDC Director of Food & Nutrition
Jill works with all of the Food and Nutrition Services of the HRDC (Gallatin Valley, Headwaters and Big Sky Community Food Banks, Fork & Spoon, Summer Lunch, KidsPack and Senior Groceries). She manages budgets, develops innovative solutions for food security, seeks funding and cultivates relationships in our community. Jill also works with the other directors at the HRDC to integrate all of our programs and to provide a path for our customers to thrive. Jill loves being outside and seek untrammeled places and enjoy searching for charismatic mega-fauna in my time off. Jill has always worked for organizations that utilize volunteers. Volunteers add compassion and enthusiasm and volunteering is one of the few things that we know will truly make a difference in this world. Jill hopes to always work with volunteers.
Advisory Council
Jeremy Blyth
Advisory Council Chair
I’ve lived in Big Sky since 2016 with my spouse Miriam Schmidt and our two children Ursula and Esme. Volunteering with the Food Bank helps me keep in touch with our community and hopefully support others as I have been supported. I also volunteer with Search and Rescue, both of these organizations serve people at some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. I attend All Saints in Big Sky where my spouse is the Pastor. Occasionally I get involved in Community Theater, but I always go outside year round and try my best not to fall.
Lucia Damberg
Secretary
Lizzie Peyton
Vice-chair
While living in Big Sky, Lizzie has worked as a personal chef, whitewater raft guide and in the non-profit sector. Trained as a chef in Paris following an undergraduate degree in International Studies at Boston College, Lizzie worked and traveled abroad for most of her twenties while continually returning to Big Sky as this community became home. After immersing into many diverse cultures-including a biodynamic farming collective in Tanzania- soil health and regeneration became a favorite hobby study. Intent on expanding on sustainable sourcing as a chef, Lizzie delved into regenerative agriculture research to become a more conscientious consumer. Equipped with increasing knowledge of regional ecosystems resilience, she chose to hang up her apron and start working with SNO to support community driven solutions in the environmental and sustainability sectors. Her interest with the Big Sky Community Food Bank lies heavily in food recovery and creating connections within Big Sky.
Ben Keefe
Emily Reierson
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Diane Bartzick
Ex-Officio
Diane moved to Big Sky with her family in 2010. She is one of three original council members of the Big Sky Food Bank, coordinated the raft raffle, helped create the coat room, and has volunteered in several capacities. She also spent time creating Trips for Tips fundraising at Ophir for the DC trip. In her free time she likes to read and do crafts, and is a regular attendee to Bingo nights during off season.
The Big Sky Community Food Bank was founded in 2012 as a partnership between local community leaders and the Human Resource Development Council. Our mission is to enhance the food security, health and dignity of those in need in Big Sky in order to make Big Sky a livable and sustainable year-round community for all. We serve Big Sky residents and workforce from Gallatin and Madison counties by utilizing community resources to provide free emergency food and social services. We work alongside the grocers, kitchens, volunteers and other service-oriented organizations of Big Sky to serve an average of 2300 food boxes to 900 households every year. As a program of The HRDC, we can help customers navigate a wide variety of social services according to their individual situations. Big Sky Community Food Bank is a community space for neighbors to receive food, support and connection with one another.