A hunger to help

WORLEY — Linda Chicarilli isn’t surprised in the least that her daughter is driven to give away food to anyone who needs it.

“It’s in her blood,” she said. “It kind of runs in the family, giving food away to the needy.”

Her daughter is Brandy Badger, president and founder of International Nutritional Sustainable Partners. Last month, it provided food to an estimated 38,000 people. Since the coronavirus hit last year, Badger estimates INSP has given away 37 million pounds of food.

For two hours Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Badger, three of her five children, husband Eric Badger, her mom, family friends, her two dogs, and a team of volunteers were outside the Coeur d’Alene Casino. They were distributing, free of charge, about 1,250 USDA Farmers to Families food boxes - 40,000 pounds worth. Each box contained milk, potatoes, onions, apples, cabbage, cheese, taco meat and meatballs.

Badger, a 1995 Coeur d’Alene High graduate who grew up in Hayden Lake, was all smiles as she chatted with the driver of a truck and directed him on where to go on the sunny day.

She said the goal is “make sure that the community locks arms together to make sure everybody has food on the table.”

It was a little slow, with vehicles pulling in a few at a time in the hot parking lot, but spirits to help remained high.

INSP was also holding food giveaways in Meridian and in Pasco, Wash. And next week more such events are slated in Washington.

“We run this every single day,” Badger said.

She and Eric live in Redmond, Wash., where they operate Badger W"hole” Farms, LLC.

According to the INSP website, the nonprofit's beginning can be traced to May 3, 2020, just days after the COVID lockdown went into effect in Washington State. It was then Badger got a phone call from George Ahearn of East West Food Rescue concerning what to do with 100,000 pounds of fresh potatoes. She wasn’t sure so she posted on Facebook, “If I can get 100,000 pounds of potatoes who wants some?”

The response was overwhelming. Starting at first from her own residence, she started giving away food and INSP was born.

“I just started feeding people. I’m Italian. Food is love,” she said with a big smile. “We wanted to make sure everyone has sustainable food on the table.”

The boxes provide more than food. They also offered hope.

She said she found that early on in the coronavirus lockdown, people, especially the elderly were afraid to leave their homes, and nobody was checking on them.

So she did and shared boxes of food with them.

“People were in tears, so grateful that someone cared enough about them,” Badger said.

She believes it has led to neighbors helping neighbors and residents looking after each other.

“We’ve heard that we’ve saved lives. We’ve heard that elderly were eating canned cat food before someone bought them a box,” she said. “So it really is helping not just on the nutritional side, but the mental side as well.”

That’s what keeps her going on those days when there aren’t enough hours and not enough money to feed everyone.

“It really just empowers me to keep driving, keep moving, and keep doing more,” she said. “Because we know it’s just locking our communities back together — letting everyone know we are community strong.”

Linda Chicarilli said people ask how her daughter can do what she does, every day, and remain so positive.

“Giving food to people who need it keeps her motivated,” she said.

Chicarilli’s parents, Henry and Kay Acosta, owned and operated a produce stand in Hayden Lake. Brandy learned from their example.

“Your parents would give away what food was left. They were like that,” said Marcia Kramer, family friend and Badger’s godmother.

She watched Brandy grow up — often water skiing as her dad George operated a water skiing businesses — and learn to be generous and kind.

”It runs in her blood,” Kramer said. “That’s the way the family is.”

Chicarilli agreed.

“That’s what Brandy does. It’s everybody helping each other,” she said. “My daughter has found out there’s a lot of rewards in helping people.”

There’s no salary for Brandy Badger in operating INSP, which has provided food for more than an estimated 2 million families in its short history.

In fact, on days they don’t have enough sponsors or donations to cover costs, the money comes out of her husband’s check to keep those truck wheels rolling and delivering free food.

She admits she had no idea INSP would grow as it has. She figured it might last about a month or two, and then things would return to normal, but more then a year later, the need remains.

Badger regularly receives requests for food deliveries. It’s then she gets on the phone and contacts folks who can provide a distribution point, like the Coeur d’Alene Casino did Saturday.

Badger said there are still many in need.

“This isn’t over. COVID’s not done yet. People are struggling. People are losing jobs," she said. "They need access to sustainable food. That’s what we’re out here doing.”

Info: www.weareinsp.org