• Food shipment to arrive from LDS Bishops Storehouse

All three of Star Valley’s food banks are slated to receive a shipment of food products from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as part of the Church’s America 250 event participation. The truck delivering food to Star Valley is scheduled to leave Salt Lake City at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, May 27 and expected to arrive at the Afton National Guard Readiness Center between 11:30 and noon, where volunteer high school students and Church service missionaries will unload the shipment.

“The generosity and Christlike love shown through this donation will make a tremendous impact on families across our region,” said Sierra Mitchell, Board President of the Afton Food Pantry, in response to news of the delivery. “We are incredibly grateful to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for providing an entire semi load of staple food items that will help support five anti-hunger agencies from Kemmerer to Alpine and keep our shelves stocked for well over a year.”

According to a press release issued in November 2025, the Church, in celebration of the 250 th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the freedoms established by the Constitution of the United States, is collaborating with the nonpartisan congressional commission, America250, to send 250 semi-trucks filled with staple food products to 250 food banks in 50 states across the nation.

America250 is “working to engage every American in celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The Church will collaborate on initiatives focused on service, family history and music,” states the press release.

The first five truckloads left Salt Lake City for their deliveries in November 2025 bound for food banks in Oregon, Michigan, Arkansas, Texas and Missouri. “Our trucks can be loaded and dispatched anywhere they’re needed,” said Blaine Maxfield, managing director of the Church’s Welfare and Self-Reliance Services, in the press release. “This work reflects our commitment to help individuals through principles of self-reliance and service. These programs are far-reaching and rooted in compassion, designed to lift individuals, families and communities during times of greatest need, and rooted in principles of love, service and self-reliance.

This work happens one by one. Following the example of Jesus Christ, we strive to love our neighbor. Each of us can have an impact in our own communities through service.”

Foods arriving in the shipment on Wednesday include dry Pinto beans, spaghetti, peanut butter, black beans, white flour, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti sauce, rice, macaroni, chocolate pudding, nonfat dry milk, dry, spaghetti bites, liquid dish soap, salsa, corn, pancake and waffle mix, applesauce, pears and beef stew.

“We are deeply thankful for the support of all churches in our communities who continually step forward to care for neighbors in need,” said Mitchell “For the past 10 years, the LDS Church has been an incredible supporter of our mission, and this donation will bring comfort, hope, and stability to so many of our patrons.”

“As we mark this historic milestone, we hope to foster a spirit of unity, peacemaking and goodwill,” said Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, as part of the press release. “The anniversary is an opportunity for all to come together, serve together, and express gratitude for the freedoms that have allowed all faiths — including ours — to flourish.”