Gassaway, W.Va. – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) delivered a truckload of food to Mountaineer Food Bank’s Gassaway headquarters Thursday morning, marking a significant in-kind donation as the demand for food assistance continues to rise across West Virginia.
Food insecurity rose by more than 12% over the course of one year, according to the most recent data released by Feeding America in July, showing that more than 312,000 West Virginians face limited or uncertain access to adequate food.
“This donation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is truly a godsend in helping us to get more food out to more people who need it,” said Mountaineer Food Bank CEO Chad Morrison. “We are hearing the same story from our partners across the state: that they are trying to serve more people with the same amount of funding and coming up short.”
LDS has been a longtime partner and supporter of Mountaineer Food Bank’s work. Members of the church have volunteered more than 2,400 hours with the Food Bank over the last decade, and it’s served as one of the Food Bank’s longest and largest food donors.
This especially generous donation is part of LDS’s America 250 Initiative, where they are donating 250 truckloads of food to more than 250 food banks to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary.
“We are honored and privileged to be able to share in God’s love by feeding our neighbors here in West Virginia,” said David Plate, representative of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “And we can’t think of a better way to celebrate America than by lifting up organizations across this country, including Mountaineer Food Bank, that are helping the people most in need.”
Mountaineer Food Bank recently expanded its warehouse headquarters, greatly increasing its food storage capabilities and priming it to assist in times of emergency.
Following Thursday’s donation delivery, Mountaineer Food Bank staff and LDS members offered brief remarks before partaking in a tour of the Food Bank’s recently renovated and expanded facility.
