Idahoan Foods partners with Idaho Falls to donate 10,000 face coverings

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) – Idahoan Foods has joined forces with the City of Idaho Falls to donate and distribute cloth face coverings and packaged potatoes to the local community.

"When we decided to do this it was before the mandate came out but it, the timing worked really well," Vice President of HR at Idahoan Foods, Kristie Ferriell-Beck said. "We were trying to think of a way we could give back and help the community, both from, the face mask and keeping people healthy standpoint but then also, as it relates to sharing product."

Idahoan Foods CEO Drew Facer accepted the invitation from Melaleuca CEO Frank VanderSloot to take part in the CEO Pay it Forward Challenge.  

“Several days ago, I had read an article regarding Mayor Casper and the City’s deliberation concerning the use of face coverings,” Facer said. “Knowing that face coverings are now being required in many public settings we worked together on a plan to donate 10,000 face masks throughout the community."

The company is donating 10,000 anti-microbial, cloth face coverings to city residents and will be distributing them outside the company’s headquarters located at 900 Pier View Drive in Snake River Landing Thursday, July 23 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and again from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. or while supplies last.

Undistributed masks will be donated to schools and public offices.

In addition to the face coverings, Idahoan is also donating several thousand packages of their signature “Buttery Homestyle Mashed Potatoes” to residents who come pick up masks.  

Both the face coverings and potatoes will be distributed on a “first-come, first-served” basis and will be given out with a limit of five per resident.  

Idahoan is making a further donation of over 4,500 pouches of potatoes to the Idaho Falls Community Food Basket.  

Idahoan Foods total contribution amounts to more than $37,000.

The one-size-fits-all cloth face coverings are non-certified but are washable and said to retain their antimicrobial properties for up to three washings, according to Idahoan, and can continue to be used as a regular face covering with normal washing and care.

To keep the CEO Pay it Forward Challenge alive, Facer said, “It is my privilege to challenge two people to continue this great effort. The first is Clint Tavenner, the Managing Partner of Cooper Norman and the second is Chet Taylor, CEO of EVO Automation. I know both of these men well and believe they will make a significant impact as they Pay it Forward. We love the fact that our company is built within communities that serve each other.”