SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Feb. 28, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are offering aid to Texans following the massive winter storm which left millions of people without food, water and power.
The LDS Church sent 36 semitruckloads of food, water, mattresses and other supplies from the Bishops’ Central Storehouse in Salt Lake City to communities throughout primarily Texas and including Oklahoma, said a news release. In all, 790,400 pounds of food and 17,280 cases of water were shipped to those in need.
“In San Angelo and Abilene, Texas, more than 41,000 pounds of food arrived on Tuesday, Feb. 23,” the news release said. “The Food Bank of West Central Texas in Abilene was the first recipient. Half of the food shipment was unloaded and processed by Latter-day Saint volunteers and missionaries.”
The semitruck then delivered the second half of the food to the Concho Valley Regional Food Bank in San Angelo, where local church volunteers and nonprofit community leaders stocked the shelves.
On Feb. 21, Latter-day Saints unloaded 20 pallets of bottled water in church parking lots to help the Abilene and San Angelo communities, the news release said. Working with the United Way of the Concho Valley in San Angelo, the Church provided water for many citizens who called in for help.
In Abilene, Latter-day Saint volunteers delivered water to citizens in need, including those in the Lyndale Abilene Memory Care center, who were without water because of a broken water main. Water was also donated to the local Big Country Chapter of the American Red Cross.
The Church delivered 25 pallets of food weighing more than 42,000 pounds to the East Texas Food Bank in Tyler on Wednesday, Feb. 24, the news release said. Some pallets were distributed to the Harvest Regional Food Bank in Texarkana.
In the city of Plano, the Church is distributing 8,800 pounds of food to Minnie’s Food Pantry as part of its ongoing partnership to support Minnie’s with donations and volunteers.
Two trucks containing 48 pallets of water went to agencies such as Arlington Charities and Arlington Life Shelter in Fort Worth, and one truck delivery will support agencies in Longview. The Fort Worth truck provided clean water to 11 local churches and food pantries.
Latter-day Saints also worked at Red Cross warming centers, including the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio, the news release said. They supplied blankets and snacks to families seeking comfort from the winter weather.
“In Austin, Latter-day Saints mobilized to deliver about 200 blankets, 200 pairs of socks and dozens of bags full of toiletries,” the news release said. “Some of the blankets were dropped off at the Palmer Events Center, where those without power were gathered to stay warm. The bulk of supplies were donated to a city program that sends volunteers on regular meal delivery routes. One stack of blankets went to another Church ministry, and some were handed out directly to people in homeless camps.”
The Church also sent seven truckloads of food and water to small towns in southern Texas.
