The Christian Center of Park City is tackling food insecurity head-on by providing essential groceries and meals to individuals and families in need. Through its community food pantries and partnerships with local schools and organizations, the center ensures that no one in the community has to go hungry.
The food pantry, open Monday through Friday 11 a.m.-4 p.m., relies on community donations but also partners with national organizations, local restaurants and grocery stores to provide food and household items.
“What we have changes daily because we work with donations,” said Jaime Mira, the food pantries manager who has worked with the Christian Center for nearly seven years. “We rescue food from the stores. Kevin Rangel (a Park City Food Pantry Driver) is the one who goes to all of the stores starting at 6:30 in the morning.”
Mira has worked to establish relationships with local and national organizations to maximize the pantries’ ability to provide food.
Each day, food pantry staff and volunteers fill the shelves of their space with fresh produce, dairy products, canned goods, dips, snacks and more, ensuring that those facing food insecurity have access to nutritious meals. The pantry is designed to be a welcoming and stigma-free resource for anyone in the community who requires assistance.
“The food pantry is wonderful,” said a community member. “It has been a great help, truly. I have twins. I even have a 2-month-old grandson, and it has been amazing to have this option.”
She spoke highly of the staff at the food pantry, thanking them for the help and support she has received and noted that every time she makes a visit, she finds exactly what she needs.
“Thank you so much for the way you treat people,” she said. “You have been wonderful, very kind people, and I am very grateful.”
Accessing the food pantry is simple and designed to be as barrier-free as possible. Both new and returning visitors simply need to live in Summit County for the Park City food pantry or Wasatch County for the Heber City food pantry, and provide a form of identification whether that be a driver’s license, passport or something similar.
The food pantry encourages those in need to reach out if they have questions about the process or require additional support, said Mira.
All visitors are allotted two visits per month during normal operating hours. However, all community members are also welcome to visit the pantry daily from 3:30-4 p.m. During this time, additional perishable items are available. This system ensures that shelves remain stocked during the day for all visitors while also preventing food waste by making excess perishables accessible to everyone.
“At that time, we don’t ask where you live, how many times you’ve come, or anything else,” said Mira.
The food pantry serves hundreds of families and individuals each month, which reflects the growing need for food assistance in Park City. With the rising cost of living, many residents rely on the Christian Center’s food pantries as a consistent source of nutritious food, said Mira.
Another program offered by the food pantry is their “Snack in Backpack” program, a partnership with local schools to provide lunch sacks for children who may not have access to regular meals outside of school.
The program also partners with organizations like PC Tots and St. Mary’s church to reach more children in need.
The “Snack in Backpack” program is also available for children in Wasatch County through the Heber Valley Food Pantry.
“Many people arrive with great needs,” said Edgar Rodriguez, Heber Valley Food Pantry driver. “People who don’t have a plate to eat from, so we try to support those basic needs as much as possible.”
Sometimes they will provide plates and utensils to people, he said, donated through the Christian Center’s thrift store next door.
“It’s hard to believe that in a country like the United States, a world power, people go hungry,” said Rodriguez.
For him, coming from Colombia, he said he never thought that would be a possibility. He sees his job as a blessing that allows him to help people.
“Just knowing that a family, a person, or a child who comes here can leave with food,” he said. “The satisfaction of seeing someone in need being helped is incredible.”
Both the Park City and Heber City food pantries have experienced a noticeable shift in recent months, as growing concerns over immigration have instilled fear in immigrant communities, where many are afraid to seek the assistance they need.
Rodriguez said that while, in a way, this has slowed things down, many people are still coming to the food pantry with rising needs.
“The job situation has also worsened a lot,” he said. “The lack of snow has affected it because when there isn’t much snow, there’s less work, which means people have no income, and without income, they can’t buy food. So we are always looking for ways to help.”
The organization set up mobile food pantries in the summer. They brought trucks full of food to specific neighborhoods where there was a known need and set up tables encouraging people to come by and take what they need.
“We are considering whether we will continue doing that now, given everything that’s happening, to make people feel safe and supported,” said Rodriguez.
While the food pantry receives many donations, Rodriguez said they rarely receive sugar, salt and other basic items, and they try to purchase these when possible. However, eggs, in particular, are very hard to obtain.
“When we do get eggs, they disappear quickly,” said Rodriguez. “Sometimes we receive a lot, but within two or three days they’re gone because so many families come in.”
Donations are welcome at both the Park City and Heber City locations. For more information and volunteer opportunities visit the food pantry website ccofpc.org/food-pantry.