As the holidays approach, and you are making your list and checking it twice, please don’t forget the 1 in 10 Utah kids who are unsure of where their next meal will come from. Many who were already living paycheck to paycheck find themselves having to make tough choices this holiday season…a time when budgets naturally get a little tighter.
This is especially true for our neighbors on fixed incomes and those with kids home from school on winter break. No one should have to decide between feeding their family or heating their home. Or wonder whether they can pay for their medication and still cover rent. But far too many of our neighbors must make those kinds of decisions every day.
The latest report tells us 317,000 Utahns are food insecure. Our 245 partner agencies and mobile pantries are seeing an increase in need. We are as committed as ever to continuing the fight against hunger statewide. Still, the increase in need plus the impact of inflation on our distribution costs means we need Utahns to join us in our mission.
If you’d like to help, there are many ways to get involved and make a difference, below are just a few:
- Give Food—along with our usual drop-off locations, there are many opportunities this time of year to participate in the food drives hosted by businesses and organizations across the state as part of or Holiday Food & Fund Drive.
- Give Time—volunteers are the heartbeat of Utah Food Bank! Last year, their work provided the equivalent of 89 full-time employees—we could not continue to distribute food free of charge across the state without this help.
- Give Money—For every $1 donated, Utah Food Bank can stretch into $8.36 worth of goods and services, so whether you give a one-time gift or become a Monthly Meal Maker, you can be confident your money will go where it’s needed most.
- Host a Fundraiser—our JustGiving Platform makes it easy for anyone to host a DIY Fund Drive. Why not make one part of your holiday party or family gathering?
There is no shortage of ways to give back through Utah Food Bank during the holidays, so whether it’s gifts of food, time, or money, your gift will truly impact the lives of our neighbors experiencing hunger. Special thanks to our Holiday Food & Fund Drive sponsors Cat Country FM, the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, Harmons, Riverton Chevrolet and Wells Fargo.
With all of us working together, we can help make an impossible situation a little easier for our families, friends, and neighbors in communities across Utah experiencing hunger this holiday season.
Click here to help make the holidays a little brighter: Holiday Food & Fund Drive