FORT HALL — When the Fort Hall Business Council heard of further federal shutdown measures, including the loss of SNAP for groceries, it immediately mobilized.

In just a week, it had arranged a free potato giveaway for anyone living on the reservation.

On a windy, cold Thursday, the cars lined up at the old rodeo grounds in Fort Hall — a line that stretched to the street and continued around the bend and beyond. A conservative estimate is that about 200 households were collectively given 10,000 pounds of potatoes in the first hour. After that, the tide of cars slowed, but people continued to come for hours. Additionally, potatoes were taken to elders in their homes. At the end of the day, a total of 42,000 pounds of potatoes were freely given to those in need of food.

This giveaway was sponsored by the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Land Use Department and the Canyon Falls Farm, a farm in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Deseret program. The church brought a semi of potatoes, and volunteers and members of the Business Council loaded cars with full boxes if they had five or more people to feed. Others repacked potatoes into smaller bags for smaller families.

There was also a surprise for those in the long line of cars. For as long as the supplies lasted, each car was also given about a pound of tribal-raised buffalo meat. A few of their herd had been butchered and prepared to add some meat to the potato giveaway.

Summing up the day, the Fort Hall Business Council chair Donna Thompson said: “At a time when many families are facing challenges, it’s heartening to see our community come together in the spirit of generosity and care. This effort shows the strength of our partnerships and the dedication of our Tribal departments and volunteers working side by side to support our people.”

The Stecklein Farm joined the potato donation brigade by donating 800 pounds of potatoes to the Bingham County Southeastern Idaho Community Action Agency office in Blackfoot. With this help, SEICAA was able to finish the Thanksgiving boxes for those who qualify as low-income, most of whom had lost their federal food assistance.

And potatoes continued to be available, this time as part of The Great Idaho Potato Grab on Saturday. Double M, Liberty Gold and Driscoll Potato gave free bags of potatoes at Double M locations. The trucks full of potatoes started in Blackfoot at 489 W. Highway 39 and passed out either red or russet potatoes from 9 a.m. to noon. Then they brought spuds to American Falls at 522 Lincoln St. and Aberdeen at 1801 S. 2800 W., where they gave out bags of potatoes from 1 to 4 p.m. With the help of Mr. Spud, who caught passing motorists’ attention, they were able to distribute about 30,000 pounds of potatoes.

Echoing Thompson’s celebration of the spirit of generosity, numerous food assistance efforts sprang up to help households that were suddenly without food options. A few examples include lawns that sprouted give and take food shelves. Other community members gathered food or donations to assist the Community Dinner Table Food Pantry, one of the larger food assistance programs in Blackfoot. Also, the Wood Korner in downtown Blackfoot set out Dinners in a Bag outside its store for anyone needing a meal — no contact needed, no questions asked.

Though this community sharing started due to a federal shutdown, which has since been resolved, perhaps it has also been an apt, though unusual, beginning of the holiday giving season.