TREMONTON - By Marcia Wendorf - May 6, 2020
The recent COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has forced the closure of some businesses in the Tremonton area and many local residents have lost their jobs in this uncertain time. These losses of income are putting people in the position of having to visit a food pantry - perhaps for the first time in their lives.
Available to help the Bear River Valley community is the Tremonton Food Pantry and they are open to those needing food or other items on Mondays and Tuesdays from 3-6 p.m.
But there are lots of options for those to donate directly to the food pantry and even in uncertain times there has been a whopping community response.
“We've gotten quite a few donations in over the last couple of weeks,” said Kathy Newman, Tremonton Food Pantry’s Director.
“Groups have donated and LDS wards are doing mini food drives,” Newman added.
The Tremonton Food Pantry saw a sudden surge of patrons in need of their services after the COVID-19 pandemic hit Utah, and world-wide, in mid-March.
Before the pandemic the Tremonton Food Pantry was servicing between 140 and 150 families but since the virus that number has grown by an additional 40 families.
Several local businesses, groups, foundations and organizations have donated recently to the food pantry and include the Brigham/Tremonton Board of Realtors and the Shelby Palmer Team at Equity Real Estate, among many others.
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"It was really the Brigham-Tremonton Board of Realtors that inspired our food drive. We are surrounded by such a supportive community and amazing clients. The Shelby Palmer Team at Equity Real Estate is just grateful to be a part of all of this," the company stated.
The Pie Dump in Garland also uses their facilities and famous recipes to donate fresh baked goods to the pantry. They recently donated several loaves of fresh bread to the Tremonton Food Pantry on March 27, when they themselves were operating under major state restrictions.
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Most recently, however, was a donation of fresh, straight from Idaho potatoes. This generous act of service was organized by a group of local farmers. Click on the full story, posted by The Valley Headliner – BRVNEW.com, below.
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Troop 126 of the Boy Scouts of America organization also stepped up their game when their Scouting for Food event was cancelled on March 14. Scouting for Food events are one of the Tremonton Food Pantry’s biggest food drives of the year. The March cancelation meant a big loss to the food pantry’s shelves and patrons.
According to Newman “the boy scouts have brought in probably over 1,500 pounds of food. Troop 126 has a drop off and they are bringing in food to us weekly.”
Paul Fowler, a leader for BSA Troop 126, said that the 50 boys in the troop “have been collecting for the food pantry for over a month.”
To acquire that food, the scouts have “called around, collected in their neighborhoods and through their religious organizations.”
Fowler said the scouts will happily pick up donated food from resident’s front porches. To schedule a pickup text them at (435) 720-0123 or email them at: ptf379@msn.com
“We are happy to accept food donations or cash on behalf of the food pantry. If you are unable to bring it in, text me, email me and the scouts or myself will collect it from your front porch,” Fowler said.
To donate items or money to the Tremonton Food Pantry directly, there are a few different options that meet social distancing guideline rules.
Send a check by mail (and help support the U.S. Postal Service at the same time) to:
Tremonton Food Pantry
P.O. Box 284
Tremonton, Utah 84337
Or drop off donations at the following locations:
- Tremonton Food Pantry located at 180 S. Tremont St. in Tremonton. There is a drop-off cabinet on the west side of the building.
- Yes! Printing located at 340 W. Main St. in Tremonton, is also accepting donations.
- Harris Market, located at 86 S. Main St. in Garland, has a trailer parked on the west side of their parking lot for donations. Gary Harris, owner of Harris Market, personally takes those donations to the Tremonton Food Pantry.
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Another new option for donating to the Tremonton Food Pantry is through Amazon and on Facebook. Those links can also be found below or by finding them on the Tremonton Community Food Pantry’s official Facebook page.
The food pantry receives food donations from local Tremonton grocery stores including Kent’s Market and Ridley’s Family Market.
Kent’s in Tremonton donates to the food pantry on a regular basis but since the COVID-19 pandemic they have received several anonymous cash donations to order specific items and food for the Tremonton Food Pantry.
“It has been humbling to see these types of donations come in,” said Layne Julander, Store Director at Kent’s in Tremonton.
“We will continue to help where we can,” he added.
Ridley’s in Tremonton also recently made a $1,000 cash donation to the pantry and monetary donations such as that are greatly appreciated, Newman said.
Citing recent shortages in stores, Newman said that she is using that money to buy food, “if I can find it,” she said.
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Local cereal manufacturer Post Consumer Brands also donates cereal on a regular basis and twice a month the Tremonton Food Pantry receives a truckload of food from the Utah Food Bank.
“Right now, we've gotten a lot of donations and our pantry is starting to look better, but that will only last three or four months,” Newman said.
The food pantry is still in need of a few specific items.
“Canned beef stew, personal hygiene items, milk, butter, eggs, Rice-a-Roni, pasta, pasta sauce, canned apple sauce, Cream of Chicken Soup and pork and beans,” Newman listed.
In an April 18, Facebook post on the Tremonton Food Pantry’s page, Newman described what happened that day when at 8 a.m. the pantry's drop-off cabinet was empty.
However, by 2 p.m., the cabinet was completely full of dried pasta, ramen noodles, cereal, peanut butter, ketchup, instant mashed potatoes, canned soup, tuna and even canned pie filling.
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For more information on how to help or donate to the Tremonton Food Pantry call (435) 257-9530 or 435-230-0049 or visit the Tremonton Food Pantry website HERE.
“Nothing helps you feel better than joining in the loop of a service for our fellow man and the folks in our community. There’s a lot of folks that need the help,” added Fowler.