Nonprofit organization, Asian Resources Inc. pose with the packaged foods outside the JustServe booth. Photo courtesy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints 

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) – What better way to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America than to give back to the many communities in our country?

On Tuesday, Aug. 25, an America250 truck parked at the State Capitol Park World Peace Rose Garden on 15th Street and delivered 40,000 pounds of food to local nonprofits. The morning drop-off kicked off a larger Sacramento County distribution of over 150,000 pounds of food.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints has collaborated with America250 to deliver 250 truckloads of food to cities in all 50 states. As a result of this compassionate effort, communities all around California will receive about 100 food trucks.

Robin Cook, a western states spokeswoman for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke about the compassionate effort of this campaign.

“This is our way of celebrating America. By working together with people who are not always like us. America is great because we have always been a country that comes together when we confront difficulties. We could have just dropped the food off at a warehouse of a big food bank; instead, we decided to try a little harder and connect with our fellow Americans in joint service,” Cook said.

Parked on 15th Street, the America250 semitruck unloaded commodities such as rice, peanut butter, potations, flour, sugar, pudding, carrots, onions, pasta, tomato sauce and other staples. 27 local non-profit organizations and religious organizations then picked up the food following a speech which praised the efforts of the campaign and volunteers.

In the speech’s welcoming remarks, Mayor Kevin McCarty addressed the American people and thanked the organizers of the event for bringing food to families in need.

“As we celebrate 250 years of this amazing country, the United States of America, at 175 years of statehood, I wanted to thank the organizers and JustServe and the America250 Coalition for thinking about Sacramento. For thinking about our city, our Capital City. So, we appreciate the effort to help families in need here, and we reflect on how we're all one community here in this Capital City of Sacramento,” said McCarty.

Director of Operations at the Sunrise Christian Food Ministry, April Jacek explained that this is one of the many contributions that her organization volunteers for to give back to the community.

“We were also in The Giving Machine at the Roseville Galleria. It is a beautiful ongoing relationship that we have with the community, with the LDS church, we have service missionaries that come serve at the food closet, so it’s a win all the way around,” said Jacek.

Elected officials also gathered at the event to help with the distribution and address the organizers. 10th District Assembly Member, Stephanie Nguyen, explained the immense impact the food being donated will have on families in need.

“I think any family seeing a list of the items that are being distributed would just be over the moon at how they can hold onto some of these items for a while and don’t have to use right away,” Nguyen said.

This humanitarian campaign is especially important now, not only is it the 250th anniversary of America but American families are struggling now more than ever to put food on the table. Food banks across the country report demand far above pre-pandemic levels, with working families, children and seniors making up a large share of those seeking help.

“This is one of the most, amazing charitable undertakings you will ever witness. The scale of it is staggering, nationally 250 trucks, millions of meals, on a statewide basis, a hundred trucks here in this community in Sacramento County, 150,000 plus pounds, 40,000 just in that truck right here,” Congressman Kevin Kiley said while pointing to the semitruck being unloaded by volunteers.

Kiley explained how this campaign is also an ode to hope and reminder that we are stronger when we come together.

“The number of organizations that have come together and collaborated to make this happen is truly inspiring. I think it provides hope, not just for the individual families who are in need but for all of us, that we can solve problems in a way that makes life better,” said Kiley.

As we burst fireworks on the Fourth of July and hang American flags outside the front porch, this campaign reminds us of what it truly means to be proud to be an American.