Hundreds of volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have helped unload, pack and prepare food for neighbors and friends in recent months.
The food — driven across the United States in large semitrucks to every state by the Church — is part of the Church’s effort to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
The food arrived just in time to help fill empty shelves at the Pantry 279 in Bloomington, Indiana, on June 24.
Cindy Chavez, Pantry 279 executive director, said when the food truck arrived, they had been telling each other they just needed to make it to June 24. “Then we’re going to get this lovely truck and we’ll be OK,” she recalled.
“Today, we have our savior,” she said, pointing to the JustServe truck from the Church behind her.
Forty JustServe volunteers from the Church arrived at the same time to help unload the food.
Bloomington Indiana Stake President Jared M. Goulding said this food doesn’t cost anyone anything to receive it — and it also doesn’t cost anyone their dignity.
“As children of God, we are all brothers and sisters,” he said. “We have been provided an example of how we should live — provided by Jesus Christ.”
How the Church is celebrating America250 through service
The Church has marked the country’s anniversary through the donation of 250 truckloads of food to 250 food banks across the country. The donations will continue throughout the year.
The America250 donations from the Church started last November with the donation of five truckloads of food from the Bishops’ Central Storehouse in Salt Lake City to food banks in Oregon, Arkansas, Texas, Missouri and Michigan.
The donations include peanut butter, rice, oats, beans, spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, flour and other items. The goods are produced by the Church and funded by Church member donations.
San Antonio, Texas
In San Antonio, Texas, the Church delivered 40,012 pounds of food on Wednesday, July 22, to the San Antonio Food Bank. More than 200 volunteers from the Church also showed up to help unload and process the food.
That same day, volunteers also helped load food into cars for families at the food banks. The donated food added up to 32,010 meals for families in need across Southwest Texas.
Liz Johanek, director of volunteer services at the San Antonio Food Bank, said they aren’t able to do what they do without donations like this.
“Having this many volunteers at one time is a big help for us to accomplish and serve the neighbors that we serve,” she told News 4 (WOAI) San Antonio.
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Volunteers also showed up at the Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeast North Carolina in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on July 30 to unload 30,000 pounds of food donated by the Church.
In a Facebook post, the food bank expressed gratitude for being chosen as one of the 250 food banks to receive such a large food donation.
“We are honored to be one of the food banks selected to receive this donation, which will help provide food to families, children, seniors and neighbors throughout southeast North Carolina,” the post reads.
Fayetteville North Carolina Stake President Jerry Clipp spoke with ABC 11 News about this delivery arriving during difficult economic conditions in the area.
“We wanted to be a good community partner and help out any way we can — and this is one of those ways to do that,” he said.
This donation came a month after another donation of 37,700 pounds of food was donated in June to the nearby Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Baltimore, Maryland
In April, members of the Church helped unload 30,000 pounds of food at the Maryland Food Banks’ Western Branch in Baltimore, Maryland.
Hagerstown Maryland Stake President Jason D. Call joined the volunteers and told the Herald-Mail that the effort shows how organizations can work together to address needs in the community.
