Winter’s Kitchen Works to Fill Gap in Homeless Resources

Rebecca Couture describes the ability to serve her community as “just a blessing.”

Couture is the mind behind Winter’s Kitchen, a group of Flathead Valley residents providing Sunday meals to people in the area experiencing homelessness. Formerly homeless herself, Couture has channeled a passion for helping others into a community operation that encourages people in the valley to give back in any way they can. As winter settles in, marking a grim period for those without stable housing, Couture and her team hope to bolster the work of local nonprofits and build relationships with those in need.

Though she’s been a resident of the Flathead for nearly two decades, Couture’s idea for Winter’s Kitchen came from volunteer work she did in her former hometown of Tacoma, Washington. In Tacoma, Couture participated in “Friday Night Feed,” a program that set up shop under a popular underpass and served hot meals to those experiencing homelessness. Couture said that the “Friday Night Feed” model differed from other programs in that it met Tacoma’s unhoused residents where they were, rather than compelling them to travel long distances to a shelter for resources. Serving food right at the epicenter of Tacoma’s unhoused community allowed Couture and other volunteers to build meaningful relationships with patrons and provide more effective assistance.

Winter’s Kitchen, Couture said, hopes to bring similar on-the-ground resources to those in the Flathead Valley experiencing homelessness this winter.

“We’re trying to fill the food gap in the Flathead in terms of hot meals,” Couture said.

Winter’s Kitchen serves its potluck-style meals on Sunday afternoons at 2 p.m. The group meets at a set location to package food and supplies before heading out into town, setting up shop at a location where unhoused residents can easily locate them. Volunteers can sign up to cook, bring supplies and help serve food. Couture said she is looking for anything “from a smile to a casserole to a salad.” Meals run the gamut from spaghetti to squash soup to chili and cornbread.

In addition to a hot meal, Winter’s Kitchen provides those in need with shelf-stable food items, clothing, toiletries and other necessities that can be hard to come by for those experiencing homelessness.

The Flathead Valley has seen a spike in homelessness in recent years, as a swell of new homebuyers and the economic impacts of the pandemic pushed prices up and, subsequently, forced residents out of their homes. 319 individuals experiencing homelessness currently live in the Kalispell area, a number that amounts to more than 20% of the state’s homeless population, according to data from the Montana Continuum of Care Coalition.

Though the valley is home to a wide range of organizations that work to aid those impacted by the housing crisis, the number of unhoused residents in the area has far outpaced the ability of providers to offer adequate help. Couture sees Winter’s Kitchen as a way to address the shortage in already available resources. Currently, the only other organization that serves Sunday meals is the Warming Center.

Victoria Gabaldon, a web designer and community advocate, said that she was drawn to Winter’s Kitchen because of Couture’s story and her desire to bypass nonprofit red tape and help people directly. Gabaldon and her husband, Nino, have been active in the addiction recovery community for years and are currently raising money to build a sober community house in the Flathead Valley.

“We’re people who just hit the ground running,” Gabaldon said, discussing her admiration for Couture and Winter’s Kitchen. “We love everything that she’s trying to do.”   

Couture said she has been overwhelmed by the generosity of people in the Flathead Valley, who have volunteered to cook, donate and serve meals. She said her own experiences with homelessness, as well as her connections throughout the valley and propensity for organizing, drove her to take on the project that has become Winter’s Kitchen.

“I see a need and I have the ability to network and pull people together,” Couture said.

Winter’s Kitchen is currently looking for a warm space and parking lot to use on Sunday afternoons in the downtown Kalispell area. Previously, the group has gathered and prepared meals at Bethlehem Lutheran Church and Shorty’s Barbershop before heading out to serve meals.

Those interested in donating, volunteering or offering up their space can email Couture at [email protected] or visit Winter’s Kitchen Community Feed on Facebook.