Church Donates Over 4,000 Gallons of Milk to Catholic Charities and East Texas Food Bank
TYLER – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is supporting local hunger relief efforts by delivering 4,320 gallons of 2% milk to East Texas Food Bank and Catholic Charities on Wednesday August 13.
“We’re incredibly grateful for the partnership, generosity and grace of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in providing milk to our pantries,” said Dave Woodyard, CEO of Catholic Charities Dallas. “Collaborations like these make a huge difference in serving the most vulnerable in our community.”
Milk is one of the most requested—and hardest to obtain—items at food banks, according to Feeding America.
The truck will first unload half of the donation at Catholic Charities in Dallas and then the rest to East Texas Food Bank in Tyler.
As the top food source of calcium, vitamin D, and potassium, milk plays a key role in nutrition. But for many children and families in need, even basic staples like milk—and the essential nutrients it provides—are often out of reach. This donation will aid families as they plan for back-to-school necessities.
“We’re grateful for the opportunity to partner with Catholic Charities Dallas to provide milk to our community,” said Peter Harris, communications director for the Church in the Dallas–Fort Worth metro area. “This delivery was so needed in our area.”
Harris added, “We are thankful for the work Catholic Charities does day in and day out to address food insecurity in Dallas. Together, we share a commitment to alleviating hunger, and we look forward to continued opportunities to support this vital mission.”
DFW ranks third among U.S. metro areas for the highest number of people facing hunger, according to Feeding America.
The Church has a long-standing partnership with both Catholic Charities Dallas and East Texas Food Bank, providing volunteers and donations as needs arise. Both organizations have the infrastructure to distribute the milk efficiently across East Texas and the DFW area. The Church was also recognized with the “Hunger Hero Award” for their outstanding contributions to the East Texas Food Bank.
“We are privileged to work so closely with these partners to ease the burden in our communities,” says President Charles Rhodus, Stake President and leader of the Church in Tyler area. “Our goal is to give as Jesus Christ would give to those in need.”
The Church and these two nonprofit partners share the goal of alleviating hunger and helping individuals in need, with an emphasis on treating everyone with dignity and respect as they work toward greater self-reliance.
This donation originated from the Church’s dairy operations in Utah. One of the Church’s regional humanitarian priorities is to help meet the basic needs of those experiencing hunger. Texas currently leads the nation in food insecurity.