COLUMBUS, Ind. — The largest-ever single-source donation by far to the local Love Chapel food pantry came from a storehouse 1,500 miles away in Salt Lake City, Utah, Wednesday. But donors from Columbus’ Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said it actually came from the heart because of Jesus’ Biblical command to feed the hungry.
The church is a regular, year-round supporter to Bartholomew County’s largest pantry both in food and financial donations. This donation is especially important because the summer months generally mark the food pantry’s period of fewest or least donations, though pantry leaders always have gushed about the community’s support.
A total of nearly 36,000 pounds, or 18 tons — enough food to feed local families for about two weeks — from the church’s Humanitarian Aid Center gave Love Chapel Executive Director Kelly Daugherty a million reasons to smile. The delivery included, beans, peanut butter, cereal, rice, and much more.
At one point, a forklift driver steered through the pantry parking lot on Center Street in Columbus with a huge load of boxed sugar. But Daugherty saw a different sweetness.
“This is an amazing outpouring of generosity,” Daugherty said as volunteers unloaded the 52-foot semi-truck.
For the complete story and more photos, see Thursday’s Republic.
