101 Women award $11K grant to Priest Lake Food Bank

May 27, 2026

By Reader Staff

Local philanthropic organization 101 Women Sandpoint announced the recipient of its 2026 spring grant cycle, awarding $11,000 to the Priest Lake Food Bank.

The food bank plans to use grant dollars to install a sewer pressure line and gravity sewer line to the building at its new Priest Lake site. Currently sharing a small space with a local thrift store, sewer infrastructure is the critical first utility that must be in place before the facility’s Phase 1 garage/storage building can be built in fall 2026.

Front row (L-R): 101 Women Board Members Debbie Dickerson, Julie Jurenka and President Vicki Reich; Priest Lake Food Bank Secretary Mary Gumaer and Director Joan Andrews; and 101 Women Board Member Liz Koster. Back row (L-R): 101 Women Board Members Debbie Love, Mary Catherine Role and Anita Porter, and Priest Lake Food Bank President Richard Gumaer. Courtesy photo

According to 101 Women organizers, “A permanent, purpose-built facility is essential to expanding their capacity and ensuring reliable year-round service to food-insecure neighbors.”

In addition, 101 Women Sandpoint has learned that another generous donor will match the $11,000 grant, further supporting the food bank’s mission.

101 Women is a membership group made up of 101 women living in Bonner County. Each member’s yearly donation is leveraged to create two annual awards, which were increased to $11,000 each in the fall of 2025. The grants are presented to two nonprofits at the group’s membership meetings in the spring and in the fall.

Last spring, the then-$10,000 spring grant went to the Sandpoint Area Seniors, Inc.

“We were happy to hear that with the grant and exposure to the 101 Women community, SASi was able to build a much-needed portico from the kitchen door of the Senior Center to the sidewalk at the curb to provide safer access and egress, facilitating meal delivery and better protecting the volunteer drivers who make the vital meal service possible,” 101 Women stated. “The project also included the installation of two automatic garage door openers to enhance access and safety.”

Each grant cycle recipient is selected from among three finalists — this spring including Better Together Animal Alliance and the Community Resource EnVision Center — which undergo a vetting process including grant application reviews and site visits, and are provided in a presentation to the membership, which includes a summary of the group’s purpose and need for funding. 101 Women members then cast votes to choose the winning organization.

Interested nonprofit organizations can find more information about grant cycles and applications at 101womensandpoint.com. Member information and registration are also available at the group’s website or by emailing [email protected].