ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. – In a united effort to combat food insecurity, City of Zephyrhills Mayor Melonie Bahr Monson, in partnership with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will distribute a semi-truck load of essential food staples to area food pantries on Monday, December 9.
From 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. that day, an estimated 20 to 24 pallets of items such as canned vegetables, peanut butter, beans, pasta, and macaroni and cheese will be unloaded and shared among local pantries at the Alice Hall Community Center, located at 38116 5th Avenue, Zephyrhills. Volunteers will be on hand to assist in organizing and distributing the supplies.
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“We’re expecting a wide variety of food staples, including canned corn, green beans, peanut butter, pinto beans, spaghetti, mac & cheese, and much more,” shared Mayor Monson. “So far, six to eight local pantries are confirmed to restock their shelves, and I’m hopeful to add even more before Monday.”
The mayor emphasized that the food delivery is not intended for direct distribution to individuals at the event site. Instead, the donated goods will bolster area pantries, which will then supply assistance to local families experiencing hardship.
This collaborative effort follows a successful emergency relief distribution a few weeks earlier.
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Working with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Oasis Church of Zephyrhills, Mayor Monson helped provide emergency food and supplies to over 300 families in the wake of Hurricane Milton.
The LDS Church contributed 647 boxes of nonperishable food—enough to feed a family of four for a week—plus more than 1,000 hygiene kits and 300 cleaning buckets.
Reflecting on this experience, the mayor states: “It was an honor and privilege to help serve those in need during this tragic time, but as we were helping the families in need, I learned that many of our local food pantries were also in desperate need of supplies. So, I reached back out to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints leaders and asked for a little more help, and I am grateful that they jumped right in to provide the food needed for pantries to help others.
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