One of the first deliveries of 250 truckloads of food from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to food banks across the country arrived last week on Nov. 19 at Fish of Grand Blanc food bank in Grand Blanc, Michigan.
Barb Smith, chairperson of Fish of Grand Blanc, called the donation a “godsend.”
“Because in some areas of the food that we have, we are low,” Smith said.
According to Smith, Fish of Grand Blanc currently serves 500 families per week.
The donation is part of the Church’s collaboration with the America250 initiative, to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence of the United States.
Grand Blanc was chosen as one of the first cities to receive the donated goods in gratitude for support given to members of the Church by people in the community after a shooting and fire at a Latter-day Saint chapel in September.
Smith said the community “lost its innocence that day.”
“But God also used it for us to become a stronger community and recognize — politics aside, religion aside — it’s neighbors helping neighbors,” she said. “And that’s the way it should be.”
In a news release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, Church leaders also highlighted the compassion shown by neighbors, first responders and others following the shooting.
“The people of Grand Blanc and the surrounding communities have shown what it means to come together and help others,” said President Marcelino Sanchez, Grand Blanc Michigan Stake president. “This delivery is a small way to say thank you, help our neighbors in need and give back to this wonderful community.”
The donation of 40,000 pounds of food directly from the Bishops’ Central Storehouse in Salt Lake City included a variety of fruits, vegetables, meats, pasta, flour, pancake mix and dried milk.
The goods are produced by the Church and funded by Church member donations.
Other food banks in Oregon, Arkansas, Texas and Missouri received donations the week of Nov. 19. The other truckloads of donations will be distributed throughout 2026.
The trucks are wrapped in the JustServe.org and America250 logos.
JustServe is also collaborating with the America250 initiative to make 2026 a record-setting year of volunteer service.
The JustServe platform is a free website and app where community organizations list their service needs and where volunteers can find service opportunities around them.
