Food donations from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continued to arrive at food banks across the United States throughout March and April. Many of the donations arrived in areas that are seeing increasing demand.
In Boston, Massachusetts, 35,000 pounds of shelf-stable food were unloaded from a semitruck for the Mary Ann Brett Food Pantry on Friday, April 10.
Michael Thomas of the Belmont Ward, Cambridge Massachusetts Stake, has helped build relationships between members of the Church and the food pantry for about four years.
“I think interfaith work always reaffirms the goodness of our fellow brothers and sisters and our realization that they, like us, are motivated by a call for discipleship and faith in the Savior,” Thomas said. “And I think it’s a cause for real optimism, despite the challenges we face. I think there is not only strength to be found in our own faith and faith community but by connecting to those of our neighbors as well.”
Jim Brett, who runs the food pantry named after his mother, said the connection with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been a “godsend.”
“I say ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you,’” Brett said as the food was unloaded.
The Church follows Jesus Christ’s teaching to “love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:39), and members of the Church work to be the Savior’s hands in caring for those in need. In 2026, the Church is sending 250 truckloads of food donations to food banks around the country to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States.
Chicago, Illinois
In Chicago, Illinois, 40,000 pounds of food were delivered to the Pan de Vida Food Pantry on March 25.
“It is an honor for the Church to help with the sacred mission of loving our neighbors,” said Bruce Duffield, a local member of the Church.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson was there as the food was unloaded from the truck, and thanked the Church for the donation.
“This country was founded by people coming together,” Mayor Johnson said. “I know that this delivery will make a huge difference in the lives of so many of our residents and show the country and the world what it truly looks like to care for one another.”
Chicago Illinois Stake President Scott Shurtliff said it was meaningful to connect with others in the community through service, especially using the JustServe platform.
“We try to empower individuals and families and groups to make a positive impact on a community,” President Shurtliff said. “The mission is simple — we’re trying to spread hope, goodness and love through voluntarism.”
President Shurtliff called it “miraculous” when different individuals come together to serve each other.
“It reminds us that ultimately we are brothers and sisters, a part of this human family working together,” President Shurtliff said.
Tomas Garcia, the Pan de Vida community care director, said they are currently serving about 2,000 families weekly.
“We want people to feel that they have restored dignity, to feel that they are loved, to feel that they are valued as a community member,” Garcia said.
Kansas City, Missouri, and Lawrence, Kansas
In Kansas City, Missouri, 200 volunteers showed up at the Harvesters Food Bank on Thursday, April 23, to help unload 30,000 pounds of food donated by the Church. The Church also donated 36,000 pounds of food to another Harvesters location in nearby Lawrence, Kansas, that same day.
“Volunteering at Harvester’s was such a wonderful event,” said volunteer Michael Struempf. “I really felt the Spirit, talking with other volunteers and serving the Lord in such a simple way.”
Another volunteer, Monica Philips, said, “We wanted to do as much as possible in the time we had so we could relieve the burden on those who work here every day — relieving hunger in this area.”
Many of the volunteers also worked before the semitruck donation to prepare 2,200 T-shirt bags. These bags are used instead of plastic bags for the families in need of food in the area.
Volunteers in four Latter-day Saint stakes worked to create the bags, along with youth in a sewing club at Andover High School and the National Honor Society Club at Andover Central High School.
Keith Kata, Welfare and Self Reliance manager for the Church’s United States Central Area, said this donation and volunteer effort was a celebration of “the divine establishment of the United States of America.”
“It is through volunteering and working together, just as the Founding Fathers did, that communities will flourish and God’s love will expand,” Kata said.
Deb Ramsay, Barbara Maloof, Colleen Thomas, Corrie Clasen, Amanda Volk and Cindy McDavitt contributed to this article.
