Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- The Salt Lake Mission distributed boxes of Christmas food to over 200 people on Monday.
- Executive Director Shaun Clay highlighted the importance of helping food-insecure families, especially around the holidays.
- Volunteers like Camille Fisher and her family play a crucial role in the mission's efforts.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake Mission distributed boxes of Christmas food to over 200 people Monday as part of the mission's annual food box giveaway.
While it was scheduled to start at 11 a.m., Shaun Clay, the mission's executive director, said people began lining up as early as 9 a.m. to receive this year's Christmas meal essentials.
"When people line up early, we start early. Because we've had it go all the way out to Redwood Road and go all the way down to California (Avenue)," Clay said.
"We are really just being so thankful to bless people with Christmas dinner. In these boxes, there's hams or turkeys, stuffing, canned vegetables, cranberries, pies; everything you need for Christmas dinner is in these boxes, and then some," he continued. "We're just glad to fill the gaps in our community."
Clay explained that the holiday season can be a stressful time for families, especially with ever-increasing financial constraints.
"A lot of these cars that you see pulling up, they're making choices, you know, whether to put gas in the car, whether to pay the electricity bill, or get Christmas dinner. And then there's also the gifts. They're getting gifts, and that could take away from Christmas dinner. So we're here to fill the gaps for those that are food insecure and those that, you know, are what we call the working poor," Clay said.
The giveaway is just part of the mission's Christmas programming, too.
On Christmas Day, the mission — located at 1055 N. Redwood Road — will serve breakfast from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., followed by dinner from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
"That's for anybody. Anybody who, either, you know, wants to come and volunteer, or they don't have a place to go, or they can't afford Christmas dinner — we're there for whoever wants it," Clay said.
Clay said events like the giveaway and the upcoming meals wouldn't be possible without hardworking volunteers who dedicate their time to helping others in need.
Those volunteers include Camille Fisher and her family, who have been regulars over the last four Thanksgivings and Christmases at the mission.
Monday was no different, with Camille, her mother Nicole, and her sisters Serena and Anna busy filling food boxes alongside other volunteers.
"We've just been coming for the past couple years, and it's really fun to just get to build all these boxes, and then sometimes we get to hand them out to the people," Fisher said. "Seeing families that don't have as much as we are fortunate to have, and being able to give back to them during the holidays, and just realize that I am very lucky for everything I have. It just feels really good to help other families have the same feeling and be able to have food during the holidays."
More information about the Salt Lake Mission, resources it offers and upcoming programming can be found here.
