Cannabis community unites to feed hungry in Billings, provides catered meals and ‘re-leaf kits’

Billings, Montana – Every month, catered meals are provided just outside the Montana Rescue Mission in downtown Billings by the cannabis community in Montana as a way to help feed the underprivileged. However, the help is going well beyond just feeding them; in addition, “re-leaf kits” with everything they need to survive the winter on the streets are being provided.

“In our community, there’s a lot of people who want to care and help. It’s really become amazing, the people we can help. We fed 500 people right here at the skate park with Temptation Food. They did brick oven pizza right out of the back of their food truck,” says Ryan Wright, TOP owner.

Additionally, volunteers from organizations such as Holistic Releaf by Design provide hygiene kits along with meals on the final Sunday of each month. It’s a joint venture with Ryan Wright and his local medicinal marijuana store, TOP, That Other Place.

“They hand out socks, toothpaste, toothbrushes, pads for women and it’s just a whole bunch of things,” says Wright.

Everything is lovingly served, including the kits and food, at a monthly event called “You hungry?” that feeds anyone hungry without asking any questions.

“Every time Ryan calls us, we schedule to go out and feed the homeless. It’s hard out here right now for everybody, so we just try to help out as much as we can,” says Nathan Pryor, 406 Wingz owner.

The 406 Wingz food truck is owned by Tiffany Krank and Nathan Pryor. Thus far, they have provided and sponsored three lunches, for a total of about 400 meals.

“It’s not big corporations that are doing it. It’s these family-owned businesses that are giving back to the communities that support them,” says Wright.

“I just like to be able to give people something, even if it’s just a tiny thing because it could mean the world to them,” says Tiffani Krank, 406 Wingz owner.

As the volunteer organization expands from its modest beginnings four years ago when Ryan and his son Gabriel fed chili out of the back of their car on Christmas, Wright describes it as a humbling experience for the cannabis community and beyond.

“Back in 2019, me and my son were alone for Christmas. We didn’t have anything to do, so we just went and made a big batch of chili and drove around town and just handed it out,” says Wright.

“I just feel satisfied to know that somebody is fed, somebody’s son or daughter has their next meal,” says Pryor.

160 dinners were consumed during the most recent feed, which was sponsored by Jersey Mikes, in just over an hour.

“You’ll see people you would think were fine, but you can tell they are hungry, and just being able to see a little bit of gratitude is a life-changing experience for some of these people,” says Wright.

Wright claims that even something as basic as a sandwich can be a lifesaver, and he adds that this is his new mission in life following his 2004 military entry and subsequent medical discharge due to an injury sustained in Iraq.

“That was going to be my career for my whole life, and it was gone in the blink of an eye,” says Wright.

A similar story about how life may alter drastically is told on the streets.