A collection center for Feed Utah 2021 in Eagle Mountain. Photo: Becky Jones
SALT LAKE CITY — Volunteers in Eagle Mountain taking part in a food drive on Saturday were a lot like postal workers. They were going door to door, gathering what was left for them, despite inclement weather.
It was the first day of spring and it was the first annual Feed Utah Food Drive, benefitting the Utah Food Bank.
And it was cold.
This door-to-door effort took place all across Utah on Saturday morning. KSL TV reported that thousands of volunteers were out in force gathering donations. Their effort will go toward providing food donations for the Utah Food Bank.
In past years, this drive to collect food for the Utah Food Bank was conducted by the Boy Scouts of America. But COVID-19 and fewer Utahns in the Boy Scouts led to a different plan this year.
Instead of Boy Scouts, this year volunteers from various Utah religious groups and communities, along with organizations like the Utah Food Bank picked up bags of food that had been left for them on front porches.
A volunteer going door to door in Eagle Mountain to collect food donations during the first Feed Utah Food Drive. Photo: Becky Jones
Some people left donations out overnight so that they wouldn’t forget.
According to a statement released previously from the Utah Food Bank, after collection, the food will be delivered to the Utah Food Bank and its 203 partner agencies across the state.
The Utah Food Bank estimates that 511,000 Utahns are dealing with hunger issues, a number they say has skyrocketed since the beginning of the global COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
Learn more about the Utah Food Bank and other ways that you can contribute on their web page.
This story will be updated.
