The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sent 18 semitrailers full of canned fruit to pantries across the country this week.

The church experienced a bumper crop of peaches from its Utah orchards this year, according to a statement released Wednesday. The canned fruit was sent to storehouses in Georgia, Illinois, Colorado, Texas, Washington, Florida and Pennsylvania.

In Illinois, six public agencies were waiting for the shipment to arrive.

"We are currently assisting 220 families each month, and that number is rising all the time," said Phyllis Gertney of the Palatine Township Food Pantry. "This is great — wonderful — especially in these economically difficult times."

Two truckloads of peaches and apricots were also sent to the Utah Food Bank.