Latest news with #UtahFoodBank
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Utah Food Bank is providing free meals to those 18 and under this summer
SALT LAKE CITY () — Utah Food Bank will be offering free meals to children 18 years of age and under this summer. This is all possible through a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) sponsorship of their Summer Food Service Program. According to a press release from the food bank, this program extends the existing Utah Food Bank's Kids Cafe program, which provides meals to students outside of school hours. These meals will be available at both open sites, meaning any youth can come and eat on site, and in enrolled programs, which are available to youth enrolled in specific summer programs. Red Cross encourages Memorial Day blood donations to honor fallen military 'Approximately 215,000 meals will be served at 60 sites through the Summer Food Service Program, and consist of either breakfast, lunch or supper depending on the site,' Utah Food Bank says in a press release. Multiple sites are located in the following counties: Davis, Garfield, Grand, Iron, Piute, Salt Lake, San Juan, Utah, Washington, and Weber counties. Service dates and meal times vary depending on the location. To find more information and a meal site near you, visit the summer meals page on the . You can also text 'SUMMER' to 914-342-7744 to find other services that provide free meals across Utah. The USDA National Hunger Hotline can also assist with finding services; call 1-866-3-HUNGRY or 1-877-8-HAMBRE. Salt Lake County Animal Services shelter is full — and they're looking to adopt out long-term residents 'Summer can be an especially tough time for families,' Ginette Bott, President & CEO of Utah Food Bank, is quoted in the press release. 'When schools close, many children no longer have access to the free or reduced-price meals they rely on during the year. That puts added pressure on families already struggling to make ends meet. Unfortunately, summer is also when donations tend to drop, making it one of the most challenging times for us to meet the growing need for food assistance.' Due to this increased need for assistance, Utah Food Bank would like to remind those who are in a position to help that they can assist by donating food or setting up a food or funding drive. These drives directly support programs like the Summer Food Service Program. Find out how to support them . Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘SUN Bucks' program looks to fill summer void for students who receive free school meals
A 'SNAP welcomed here' sign is seen at the entrance to a Big Lots store in Portland, Oregon. (Photo) Utah families struggling with their grocery bill will have a little extra relief this summer, with the 'SUN Bucks' program looking to fill the void left by free school meals. Once the school year ends, families will be able to get an extra $120 per eligible school-age child to buy groceries. Sometimes called Summer EBT, the program is available for families that already receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits. Families on Medicaid or whose children already qualify for free or reduced school meals are also eligible. 'SUN Bucks is a federal program to help combat childhood hunger,' said Muris Prses, director of eligibility at the state's Department of Workforce Services, in a statement. 'This is a great way for families to stretch their grocery budget during the summer.' According to the Utah Food Bank, at least 1 in 8 Utahns, and 1 in 6 children, are food insecure, meaning they lack consistent access to enough food to live a safe and active life. That adds up to about 415,000 people in Utah who aren't sure where their next meal will come from. Despite opt-outs by GOP states, debut of kids' summer food program seen as a success Utah was among 13 states with Republican governors that opted out of the federal program last summer, opposing what they called 'welfare' and signaling unwillingness to cover administrative costs. Even with some states choosing not to participate, the program was hailed as a success despite some challenges in its first year. The Utah Legislature this year passed HB100 requiring that the state join Summer EBT, while also granting free school lunch to any students who qualify for reduced-price meals. Summer EBT is expected to support an estimated 260,000 Utah children. According to data from Feeding America, San Juan County has some of the highest rates among young people, with about 26% of children there experiencing food insecurity — neighboring Garfield County is not far behind, at about 25%. With the SUN Bucks program, these families can buy foods like meat, fruit, vegetables, whole grains and dairy products at places that accept SNAP benefits, like grocery stores and farmers markets. The state's 'Double Up Food Bucks' program allows these benefits to earn an extra $2 for every $1 spent on fresh produce. Eligible children will be automatically enrolled in the program, according to the state — families whose children attend a school where students already receive a free lunch can apply at the state's website. SUN meals is a similar program offering free meals and snacks for school-age children, offering a to-go option for pickup or delivery in rural areas. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘We should all do it': Utah Food Bank volunteer shares why it's important to help others
SALT LAKE CITY () — Last year, the Utah Food Bank distributed 65.5 million pounds of food to Utahns facing hunger. Many of those meals were delivered directly to those who needed them by individuals like Bob Barr, who has been making monthly deliveries for 30 years. ABC4 joined Bob and his wife Jane during one of their deliveries. Going through a section of the Salt Lake City warehouse, the couple gathered groceries for the people they would visit. It's the basics — bread, milk, cheese — but it's the basics that are needed. 'No matter what neighborhood you live in, no matter what part of the state you live in, you don't have to look very far to find somebody who can use a little help. We should all do it, give them a little help,' Bob said. While Jane was Bob's co-pilot this trip, sometimes a neighbor, or grandchild, instead will sit in the passenger seat during these deliveries. Bob explained why he likes to bring his family with him to deliveries. 'You need to show them that's a part of life. It's something that I hope many people would not consider optional. It simply is something that has to be done,' he said. If you ask Bob, he will tell you these deliveries aren't that big of a deal, it's the least he can do, but for the people he visits, it's a great service. Bob thinks all of us can and should help, saying, 'If 20% of the population gave 1% of their time to donate – 99% of the problems on the Earth will be resolved. I feel it's an obligation.' If you would like to help the Utah Food Bank they will take your food, time, or money. You can donate at the Utah Food Bank website. To share stories of kindness in your community, email us actsofkindness@ Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bring home the bacon: 35k pounds of pork donated to Utah Food Bank
SALT LAKE CITY () — The Utah Food Bank just received 35,000 pounds of pork — the equivalent of 140,000 servings, to help those facing food insecurity. This is all thanks to a donation by the Utah Pork Producers Association (UPPA), in partnership with Daily's Premium Meats. Members of UPPA, as well as football players from Brigham Young University, Utah State University, and Southern Utah University, delivered the donation on Wednesday, April 16. 'With this donation, Utah pork farmers aim to offer a meal and a sense of hope to those who need it most,' said Jim Webb, UPPA president-elect. 'We are grateful for the work Utah Food Bank puts in every day to ensure no Utahns go hungry, and are proud to be able to support their efforts through this donation. Thank you to our partners at Daily's Premium Meats for helping to make this happen.' More than 320k Utahns sign referendum to appeal labor union bill, double the required amount The UPPA has worked to consistently offer support to the Utah Food Bank, last year also donating 35,000 pounds of pork. Over the last six years, UPPA said they have donated a total of 210,000 pounds of meat, which is equal to 840,000 servings. According to the Utah Food Bank website, 415,000 individuals in Utah, or 1 in 8, are facing food insecurity, and for kids, that number is 1 in 6. The non-profit reported that last year, with donations and support from the community, they were able to distribute 65.5 million pounds of food, or 54.6 million meals, to those facing food insecurity. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Financial donations increased in this year's Feed Utah Food Drive
The annual Feed Utah Food Drive took place earlier this month and, following a trend from the last couple years, the food drive saw a significant increase in financial donations compared to last year. But that's a good thing, because the demand and need for help for those in need is on the rise as well. The food drive, conducted March 15 through the Utah Food Bank, included donations from all 29 counties in Utah. 'The great thing about a food drive like feed Utah is it gives everyone in the state an opportunity to participate in the fight against hunger,' said Utah Food Bank President and CEO Ginnette Bott. The Food Bank has not received totals for donations from all across the state yet, but Bott said that from the numbers she has seen so far there was a small increase in food donations from last year. Bott said another trend of fewer physical food donations and more monetary donations continued again in 2025. According to Bott, there was a huge increase in the number of financial donations this year, which she said is helpful because it allows the food bank to buy extra product if needed and pay for delivering the food. The need for food for those struggling from hunger is alarmingly high right now, Bott added. 'There are areas of our state that are really seeing an increased number of people coming to the pantries, and the numbers are higher in some of the areas, even higher than they were in COVID and some other areas, they're coming down. So, to say that it's evened out, isn't really true,' she added. This year marked the fourth annual Feed Utah Food Drive. For 33 years, the food bank did an annual food drive in partnership with the Boy Scouts of America. But after that organization changed, the food bank had to change its approach. 'What we try to reinforce is that Feed Utah is a concentrated effort on one day for all of us to come together for all of our 29 counties,' Bott said. During the drive, thousands of volunteers across the state drove around neighborhoods to pick up bags of food people had left on their porch. Utahns could also drop off their donations at fixed locations. Bott said the food drive serves multiple purposes, one being to spread awareness. 'I always say education and awareness are two most powerful tools. People need to see us doing something, and we need to be educating them about the problem of hunger, and this kind of a food drive allows us to do that,' Bott added. Another benefit of the food drive is it adds more variety to the type of food available to those in need. She said the food drive requires months of planning, which includes coordinating drop-off points and trucks to deliver donated food as well as gathering volunteers. 'The day goes quickly and it's a successful day, but it certainly takes a lot of preparation to be ready for that day,' Bott said. The Utah Food Bank is the state's partner with Feeding America, which has over 200 food banks across the country. The food bank covers the entirety of Utah, serving people in all 29 counties and working with around 275 partner agencies. 'So think of us as the wholesaler,' Bott said. 'The food and the product comes to us, we distribute it to the pantry, the pantry then distributes it to the end user.' Bott added that it is all done free of charge,. The pantries don't pay for the food from the food bank and those who receive the food don't pay the pantries.
