Since 2015, local leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, alongside the Boy Scouts of America San Diego-Imperial Council, has supported the San Diego Food Bank’s mission to provide food assistance to those in need by hosting a countywide food drive, Neighbors Helping Neighbors. This year, after much success and support from the community, this communitywide food drive evolved into becoming a bi-annual drive-thru food drive. The second Neighbors Helping Neighbors Community Drive-Thru Food Drive of the year is scheduled for Saturday, August 21 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at 15 drop-off locations throughout San Diego County.
“It’s exciting for me to watch this food drive get bigger each year as we continue to add more community and interfaith partners to help.” Said Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saint and Regional Communication Council Member, Robin Gephart.
Members of the community are invited to stop by their nearest drop-off location to donate nonperishable food items including canned meat, canned fruits and vegetables, canned soup, and peanut butter. From La Costa to Chula Vista and Santee, all 15 drop-off locations will have volunteers on-site to help unload donations from the trunks of donor’s vehicles and place the donations in collection bins to be picked up by the Food Bank truck drivers.”The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints loves to partner with the San Diego Food Bank because the help we can collectively offer is so far reaching,” commented Gephart.Earlier this year in March, the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Community Drive-Thru Food Drive raised more than 106,000 pounds of nonperishable food items, which is the equivalent of 88,900 meals for local families in need.Their ongoing support continues throughout the year as well. During the week leading to the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Community Drive-Thru Food Drive, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints donated more than 35,200 pounds of nonperishable food items to the Food Bank. The full truckload of pantry essentials included nonfat milk, white beans, spaghetti, cereal and protein-rich peanut butter. This donation will be distributed to our neighbors in need through the Food Bank’s network of more than 500 nonprofit partners.The San Diego Food Bank and our North County Food Bank chapter are feeding an estimated 600,000 people per month since the pandemic impacted the San Diego community, and we thank our supporters like the Church of Latter-Day Saints and the community for ensuring we continue to meet the increased demand for food assistance. “I personally am so proud to be a part of so much goodness,” Gephart reflected.Members of the community can also make a positive impact in the lives of those in need by making a nonperishable food donation by participating in the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Community Drive-Thru Food Drive taking place on Saturday, August 21. For more information about the food drive, click here.