Partnership Helps to Alleviate Food Insecurity
Kara SchofieldNorth Texas Food Pantries Receive 55,000 Pound Food Donation
Feature photo: A semi truck from Salt Lake City, Utah, delivered 24 pallets of shelf-stable food, weighing approximately 55,000 pounds, to food banks located in Prosper and Little Elm, Texas. Photos provided by Kara Schofield.
Article by Kara Schofield, Assistant Director of Communication, Prosper Texas Stake and Shauna Erickson, Assistant Director of Communication, Little Elm Texas Stake
Two food pantries in neighboring North Texas counties received a welcome shipment of 24 pallets, or about 55,000 pounds, of shelf-stable food donated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Little Elm Area Food Bank in Little Elm and Neighbors Nourishing Neighbors in Prosper work to alleviate food insecurity in their communities — filling a need that has increased in recent years through the pandemic, ongoing inflation, and economic uncertainties.
The collaboration between the Church of Jesus Christ and the North Texas food pantries was facilitated by Jack Blair, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ in Little Elm, who has volunteered at Little Elm Area Food Bank (LEAFB) for the past four years through JustServe. JustServe is a free service that connects volunteers with nonprofits, highlighting the ongoing needs of organizations like LEAFB and N3. DeWayne Brawner, pastor of the Aubrey Country Church in Aubrey and executive director of LEAFB, says, “We greatly appreciate the generous donation of 22,000 pounds of food. The Church [of Jesus Christ] is an essential partner within our service area. The food will be distributed to thousands of families in need.”
LEAFB, an independent 501(c)(3), provides short-term emergency food aid to residents within their service area. It connects families to longer-term food, healthcare, and other social services assistance. In 2022 they provided over 279,000 meals and served 2,690 families, of which 35 percent were children, 20 percent were military veterans, and 10 percent were elderly who required support throughout the year. They also covered all costs for Meals on Wheels throughout Little Elm.
The food delivery from the Church of Jesus Christ, a semi truck’s worth of pallets that was split between the two locations, is a first for Neighbors Nourishing Neighbors (N3) in Prosper and is the largest single donation to the food pantry to date. N3 moved to a larger warehouse in July 2022, yet the needs are ongoing and growing. Norma Khayat, operations manager for N3, says they serve 175 families per week but also average about ten new families weekly. An agency of the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB), N3 supports anyone who comes to their doors in NTFB’s ongoing mission to create a hunger-free North Texas.
“Our numbers [of clients] are growing, but donations are declining,” says Khayat. “We get it. Grocery costs have gone up for everyone, and it’s harder than ever for people to donate goods.” Hunger is often just one crisis away for many of our neighbors.
“There’s nothing I’m not excited about in this shipment,” Khayat says. “I’m probably most excited about the jelly!” She is also thrilled to have shelf-stable milk to help their clients since they cannot stock enough refrigerated dairy for everyone’s needs. Khayat estimates that the donation of goods to N3 will last about six months at their current distribution rate.
Upon receipt of the shipment, a group of volunteer youth and adults immediately sprang into action, unloading and organizing the food items on the shelves. The efficient work ensured that both LEAFB and N3 were fully prepared to serve their clients promptly, even amidst the rising temperatures outside.
Photo provided by Melissa Cluff A semitruck from Salt Lake City containing 24 pallets, or about 55,000 pounds of shelf-stable food. Photo provided by Kara Schofield. Volunteers sorting and organizing some of the food delivered to LEAFB to help alleviate food insecurity in the surrounding area. Photos provided by Melissa Cluff and Jack Blair. picture L to R: Darren Romney, bishop of a Prosper congregation of the Church of Jesus Christ; Brian Perkes, president of the Church of Jesus Christ in Prosper, overseeing about 10 different congregations; Norma Khayat, operations manager at N3; Rob Daleo, executive director of N3; Julie Bujnowski and Angela Taylor, leaders of the women’s ministry groups for the Church of Jesus Christ in Prosper. Photo by Kara Schofield. Young volunteers sorting and organizing some of the food delivered to N3 to help alleviate food insecurity in the surrounding area. Photos provided by Kara Schofield. Darren Romney, bishop of a Prosper congregation of the Church of Jesus Christ; Brian Perkes, president of the Church of Jesus Christ in Prosper, overseeing about 10 different congregations; Norma Khayat, operations manager at N3; Rob Daleo, executive director of N3; Julie Bujnowski and Angela Taylor, leaders of the women’s ministry groups for the Church of Jesus Christ in Prosper. Photo by Kara Schofield. Young volunteers sorting and organizing some of the food delivered to North Texas food banks.
Kara Schofield lives with her husband, nearly grown youngest, and the family doodle in the Prosper Texas Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She can often be found at one keyboard or another: writing, documenting personal and family history, accompanying school choirs, and learning how to play jazz music. Her greatest joys are her four children and their spouses, a sizable extended family, pies, mountains, and Jesus Christ.
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Shauna Erickson is a member of the Little Elm Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She has a BS in English, BYU, Masters SMU, 6 children, and 14 grandchildren. Except for 7 years in Washington DC, she has lived in North Texas since 1984.
