ST. GEORGE — Last Thursday morning, a team of volunteers wearing neon vests gathered in a parking lot next to the Washington County School District building in downtown St. George.
Their mission is to distribute boxes of food to families in need.
They were part of the Southern Utah Food Bank’s mobile food pantry that will be visiting various locations in four southwestern Utah counties throughout June.
Volunteers operated hand trucks, moving boxes in and out of the back of the food bank’s large trailer.
“Our mobile food pantry provides assistance to people across Utah who are classified as living in food deserts,” Volunteer Project Coordinator Lexie Lovell told the St. George News.
Volunteers from two local churches, New Promise Lutheran Church and Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church, work shifts at the Southern Utah Food Bank’s mobile pantry in St. George, Utah. June 6, 2024 | Photo by E. George Gould, St. George News
“We just ask them to give us their name,” Lovell added. “They drive up, tell us how many people in their family are in it, and we hand out food until it runs out.”
The mobile food pantry is staffed by volunteers. Last Thursday, staff came from two local churches: New Promis Lutheran Church and Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church.
See the document in the photo gallery for a schedule of mobile pantries taking place in June in Washington, Iron, Garfield and Kane counties.
Lovett told St. George News about another program the food bank is involved in, which targets children who don’t have access to school meals over the summer.
She said the free summer lunch program is for young people up to age 18, “all kids who normally get school lunches.”
The program is funded by government funds, so no questions are asked and there is no cost to those who receive the meals, she said.
The Southern Utah Food Bank’s mobile pantry stopped off in the parking lot of the Washington School District Building in St. George, Utah last Thursday morning. June 6, 2024 | Photo by E. George Gould, St. George News
“The only rule is that all food must be consumed on-site. The events are usually held in parks,” Lovell added.
“We’ll start off slow, but as we get to the end of the summer we’ll pick up speed,” Lovett said. “By the end of the summer we’ll be able to serve 100 meals per location.”
Lovett said the event is fun and well-attended.
“It’s very exciting. I love meeting the kids and having them have a good time,” Lovett said. She noted that one of the biggest challenges volunteers face is getting the kids to ask for help.
“We try to create a fun atmosphere where all the kids feel comfortable and all their needs are met,” Lovell said.
Below is a list of locations, dates and times for the Food Bank’s free summer meal events.
Cedar City: Main Street Park (20 N Main St.), June 3-August 9, Monday-Friday, noon-1:45 pm. Panguitch: Panguitch City Library (25 S 200 E, Panguitch City), June 6-August 1, Thursday, 4:30-5:30 pm. Hilldale: Maxwell Park (1750 N Maxwell Pkwy), June 4-July 30, Tuesday, 11:15 am-12 noon. Orderville: Valley Elementary School (110 E State St.), June 4-July 30, Tuesdays, from noon to 12:45 pm Enoch: Boebert Park (15 E Midvalley Rd), June 4-August 6, Tuesdays, from 10:15 am to 11 am Bryce Canyon: Bryce Canyon City Fire Department (70 W 100 N), June 4-July 30, Tuesdays, from 10:30 am to 11:30 am Parowan: Parowan Library (16 S Main St.), June 3-August 5, Mondays, from 10:15 am to 11 am Kanab: Jacob Hamblin Park (556 N 100 E), June 4-July 30, Tuesdays, from 10:30 am to 11:30 amSunday and Tuesday, noon to 12:45 p.m. Escalante: Escalante City Park (75 N Center St.), June 3-July 29, Monday, 11 a.m. to noon. St. George: Sandtown Park (600 N Bluff St.), June 3-August 9, Monday-Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. St. George: 2450 Park (130 N 2450 E), June 3-August 9, Monday-Friday, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Photo gallery
The Southern Utah Food Bank’s mobile pantry stopped off in the parking lot of the Washington School District Building in St. George, Utah last Thursday morning. June 6, 2024 | Photo by E. George Gould, St. George News
Volunteers from two local churches, New Promise Lutheran Church and Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church, work shifts at the Southern Utah Food Bank’s mobile pantry in St. George, Utah. June 6, 2024 | Photo by E. George Gould, St. George News
Volunteers from two local churches, New Promise Lutheran Church and Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church, work shifts at the Southern Utah Food Bank’s mobile pantry in St. George, Utah. June 6, 2024 | Photo by E. George Gould, St. George News
Volunteers from two local churches, New Promise Lutheran Church and Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church, work shifts at the Southern Utah Food Bank’s mobile pantry in St. George, Utah. June 6, 2024 | Photo by E. George Gould, St. George News
This schedule shows the times and locations the Southern Utah Food Bank’s mobile pantry will make stops in four different counties in June. St. George, Utah, June 7, 2024 | Provided to the St. George News by the Southern Utah Food Bank
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2024, All Rights Reserved.
Eric George Gould comes to the St. George News from a radio news reporter in southwest Colorado. He has been a journalist for over 20 years in five states. He has a master’s degree in English from Kansas State University and also writes non-fiction. Gould has contributed articles to Sunstone Magazine and has given numerous public readings on local history. In his spare time, Gould enjoys chess, movies and dogs.
