A semi-truck carrying 40,000 pounds of donated food arrived at the Clark County Food Bank on Thursday, May 28, as part of a nationwide effort to help communities facing food insecurity.
The delivery is one of 250 truckloads being distributed across all 50 states through a service initiative involving JustServe and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints tied to America250, the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary celebration. The church will donate food to five food banks or distribution centers in each state, each receiving roughly 40,000 pounds, according to the church’s website.
Pallets unloaded Thursday carries pantry staples, including rice, beans, spaghetti, peanut butter and applesauce. Clark County Food Bank officials said the shipment is expected to provide enough food to help feed roughly 1,400 families for one week.
Clark County Food Bank partners with over 50 nonprofit agencies at more than 200 distribution sites across the county. The organization manages over 11.7 million pounds of food each year, providing more than 9.7 million meals. More than 148,000 Clark County residents face food insecurity, according to the food bank.
Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle said many families in the region continue struggling financially years after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’ve had a number of individuals and families throughout not just Vancouver, but our entire county who have not recovered financially, spiritually, and everything else from the pandemic, and food is one of those basic essentials that they absolutely need,” McEnerny-Ogle said.
She said the donation shows how community organizations can step up to support residents during economic hardship.
“This is the opportunity to feed 1,400 families in a week right here, and this is how it’s going to happen,” she said. “Trucks like this will go throughout our nation, helping our entire nation.”
Emily Straw, president of Clark County Food Bank, said the organization’s partnership with local church members has expanded over the years through volunteer service, donations and community outreach.
“Some of our favorite and best partners ask, ‘What does the community really need, and then can I fit that need?’” she said. “And I just don’t have a better partner than you all in that.”
Straw said the donated food will move quickly into the community through the food bank’s distribution network.
“There are about 160,000 people who get food through the food bank every year, and this will all be distributed in the next week or so into the community, into the real hands of people that really need food,” she said.
J.R. Zundel, president of the Vancouver East Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, told The Reflector that the national effort exemplifies the church’s mission.
“As followers of Jesus Christ, we try to follow his charge to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and take care of those that are less fortunate,” Zundel said.
He said community organizations and faith groups should play a key role in addressing community needs.
“I hope we can look past any differences we might see in each other and know that there’s need, and we’re a lot better off working together than separately,” he said.
Readers can learn more about the nationwide effort at shorturl.at/ZyZPu.
