Thousands Gather to Package 1 Million Meals for Utah Food Bank

Youth from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gathered to assemble 1 million meals for the Utah Food Bank during a special youth night in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, January 14, 2025. Silicon Slopes, an organization that represents Utah’s business community, sponsored the service project. 

Representatives from the global Young Women and Young Men organizations attended the event. Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman described the joy felt at the event. 

“If you can look outside of yourself and serve someone else, for some reason that brings so much joy, and you feel that when you walk in this room — that joy of being involved in something so important for our own community,” said President Freeman. 

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The meals are made available in each of Utah’s 29 counties through the Utah Food Bank. Ginette Bott, CEO of the Utah Food Bank, said the fight against hunger is an ongoing group effort. Approximately 415,00 Utahns face food insecurity. 

“Businesses, religious groups, families — we all need to come together. It's collaboration. This is how we fight hunger in Utah,” Bott said. 

This is the fifth year this event has been organized through the Church, the Utah Food Bank, and Silicon Slopes, Bott said. The organizations expect approximately 10,000 people to help assemble meals over the course of a few days. 

President Freeman said the energy of the youth was inspiring. They sang along to music while they worked, rang a bell when their station completed a certain number of meals, and met new friends.  

“But they also know they’re here for something important, and that is to help feed families in Utah, our neighbors, our community, the kids they go to school with,” President Freeman said. “They are a part of doing something that is so big — 1 million meals.” 

Gracie Hampton, a young woman who participated in the service project, said she hopes those who receive the meals will feel loved. 

“I really hope that everything is OK, and that this food helps them,” she said. 

 YoungMen General President Steven J. Lund said today’s youth are proactive about serving others.  

“They want to get their hands dirty and get out and actually be part of the solution,” President Lund said. “They love to get out and help other people.”