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SALT LAKE CITY — The holiday season usually marks the busiest time of year for the Utah Food Bank and food pantries throughout Utah, with companies and civic organizations holding major food drives to help those less fortunate.
But many of those food drives have become yet another casualty of the coronavirus pandemic. Ginette Bott, president and CEO of the Utah Food Bank, told KSL TV the food bank isn't seeing as many donations as it usually does even though the need this year is bigger than ever.
"Holidays really mean people are experiencing that giving spirit, and we always seem to be a great recipient of that," Bott said. "But as people have started their planning processes, the traditional food bank food drive that we promote is not happening this year, and we're a little concerned over that."
Fortunately, there are still multiple ways to get involved this year.
For one, the Utah Food Bank has started a virtual food drive where Utahns can donate to cover food and transportation costs, and even pick exactly what food they'd like purchased with their donation.
"The virtual food drive makes it really easy for you and for us," Bott said. "You can go to utahfoodbank.org, you can join the virtual food drive either as an individual or as a team. You select the item on our shopping list, you give us the dollars that you want to donate, and then we restrict your money to buy that specific type of food."
What's more, the food bank can stretch donations by buying in bulk. Bott said the food bank can "take $1 and turn it into $8 of goods and services."
There are also options for Utahns who'd like to donate food directly. The Utah Food Bank is accepting donations at its headquarters, 3150 S. 900 West in Salt Lake City, as well as its St. George distribution center, 4416 S. River Road.
There are also donation bins for the food bank at Harmons locations across Utah and at Riverton Chevrolet.
Bott encouraged Utahns to consider not just Thanksgiving items, but long-lasting protein items like canned vegetables, canned fruits and peanut butter.
"Not all the recipients of our products have those traditional meals," she said. "So while the turkey is great, and that holiday, that one meal that day, is really important to all of us, we really need to think about how we can help the families for numerous days extended."
The Young Automotive Group is another company that has stepped up for food-insecure students in Utah and Idaho. In a normal year, church groups and other organizations assemble "pantry packs" — breakfast and lunch items for students who don't have food at home — for local food pantries. But such groups haven't had much opportunity to do so this year.
"When we heard there was a need for food, we knew we needed to step in and do something," said Oliver Young, sales director for the Young Automotive Group. "When the management teams of our other locations found out about it, they wanted to know how they could help."
Last month, 1,100 Young employees from 20 different locations worked to assemble 10,000 pantry packs, which were then donated to school districts and food pantries in Davis, Weber, Box Elder, Cache, Cassia (Idaho) and Minidoka (Idaho) counties.
And the company isn't done yet — the Young Truck & Trailers location, 220 N. 650 West in Kaysville, is accepting donations now through Dec. 5 to assemble an additional 4,000 pantry packs to benefit the Davis School District and the Bountiful Food Pantry.
Those interested can donate at youngcaringforouryoung.org.
