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TALLAHASSEE – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints delivered a semi-truck load (approximately 40,000 pounds) of non-perishable food to Second Harvest of the Big Bend on June 12, marking the second such food donation in the past three months.

Kenny Sharpe unloads food from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Kenny Sharpe unloads food from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The food supplies came from the church’s Bishops’ Central Storehouse in Salt Lake City, one of 113 bishops’ storehouses worldwide.

“Although as a general rule, a bishops’ storehouse is to meet the needs of the church members, we do open our doors to others to provide foods and other goods to help those that have been impacted by natural disasters and other life-threatening conditions,” said Bishop Dean Davies of the church’s Presiding Bishopric.

The June 12 food donation included beef chunks, beef stew, chili, black beans, northern beans, corn, diced tomatoes, soups, applesauce, ketchup, salsa, peanut butter, raisins, canola oil, sugar, pancake mix, flour, macaroni, macaroni and cheese, and spaghetti.

Second Harvest’s (from left) Samantha McClellan, Kenny Sharpe, Dave Cox, and Shannon Piotrowski.

Second Harvest’s (from left) Samantha McClellan, Kenny Sharpe, Dave Cox, and Shannon Piotrowski.

Last year, Second Harvest distributed 13.5 million pounds of food — or about a million pounds per month. The distribution area includes 11 counties — from Jackson County to the west and Taylor County to the east.

“We cover such a big section of the Panhandle that distance and distribution are a challenge,” said Justin Greer, a food resourcer with Second Harvest. “The hunger issue is not a supply issue, it’s an accessibility issue — trying to get the right amount of product to the folks who need it.”

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