Latest Farmers Feeding Utah project brings food staples to Orem families
Volunteers with the Utah Farm Bureau Federation deliver food to Orem families in the parking lot of the Utah Valley University West Campus on Wednesday, May 19.
Volunteers with the Utah Farm Bureau Federation deliver food to Orem families in the parking lot of the Utah Valley University West Campus on Wednesday, May 19.
Volunteers with the Utah Farm Bureau Federation deliver food to Orem families in the parking lot of the Utah Valley University West Campus on Wednesday, May 19.
Volunteers with the Utah Farm Bureau Federation deliver food to Orem families in the parking lot of the Utah Valley University West Campus on Wednesday, May 19.
Volunteers with the Utah Farm Bureau Federation deliver food to Orem families in the parking lot of the Utah Valley University West Campus on Wednesday, May 19.
The Utah Farm Bureau Federation delivered 1,200 boxes of food to Orem families in need on Wednesday as part of its latest food giveaway project.
The “Miracle Project Blitz,” an effort to deliver 180,000 pounds of food to more than 6,000 families in seven cities throughout the state, is a celebration of the one-year anniversary of the “Farmers Feeding Utah” campaign, which was launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as “a way to get money to farmers and ranchers for their product and get that product to people that are hungry throughout our state.”
Previous Farmers Feeding Utah projects have brought food to families in Provo, Ogden, Salt Lake City and the Navajo Nation.
“A lot has happened in the last year since we started this campaign,” Utah Farm Bureau Federation President Ron Gibson said in a press release. “There have been tremendous hardships for some families.”
Gibson said the farm bureau “has been in a fortunate place to be able to reach out and help our farmers, and hungry families in this state.”
“We couldn’t do it without our partners, and we’re looking forward to giving to so many families throughout our state this week,” he said.
On Wednesday evening, hundreds of Orem residents lined up in cars throughout the Utah Valley University West Campus parking lot as volunteers brought cardboard boxes filled with beef, potatoes, apples, milk, cheese, eggs and other items to their cars.
The volunteers included Utah County Farmers and members of the Utah County Farm Bureau, according to Matt Hargreaves, vice president of communications for the Utah Farm Bureau Federation. One south Utah County cherry farmer lent his forklift to help move the hundreds of boxes.
Hargreaves said on Wednesday that the farm bureau informed families of the project through social media. While the project is mainly for low-income families on food assistance, Hargreaves said no forms were required to receive food and the farm bureau wouldn’t turn anyone away.
Other cities that received food on Wednesday include Richfield, Panguitch, Oakley, Grantsville, Layton and Duchesne.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Utah Petroleum Association both made financial donations for the projects.
For more information about Farmers Feeding Utah projects, visit http://farmersfeedingutah.org/.
