Utahns urged to give food

Gov. Olene Walker, the Alliance for Unity and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints want you to "Help Your Neighbor" this weekend by donating to the Utah Food Bank.

Walker, working with the alliance, designated Saturday as "Help Your Neighbor Day" to encourage Utahns to give a shopping bag of canned or nonperishable food items to help families in need this Thanksgiving.

The church's First Presidency on Tuesday endorsed the governor's call, asking stakes and wards to arrange their own collection drives then deliver the food to the food bank, nearest pantry or other drop-off location.

The food bank, which has inflated a two-story-tall turkey on its warehouse roof to mark its annual holiday food drive, hopes to receive 1.5 million pounds of donated food. It also hopes to collect at least 18,000 frozen turkeys.

Actual need, however, is expected to be even higher.

Some 30,000 Utah families typically come to the food bank for food during the holidays, food bank officials say.

People can drop off a frozen turkey or a bag of food at the Food Bank warehouse, 1025 S. 700 West; one of the state's 60 food pantries; Wells Fargo bank branches; or Jiffy Lube, Riverton Motors or Smith's Food and Drug stores.

Paper donation bags were distributed last week with local newspapers, though any plastic or paper grocery bag may be used for the giving.

Or, people can simply purchase $10 turkey or $7 food-bag coupons at Smith's, and the stores will donate the food.