Food Bank of Northern Nevada receives 40,000-pound food donation as part of America 250 celebration

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints delivered a semitruck carrying approximately 40,000 pounds of food to the Food Bank of Northern Nevada on Thursday as part of the nationwide America 250 commemoration marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The donation is part of the America Gives Initiative, through which the church is delivering 250 truckloads of food to 250 food banks across all 50 states. Each truckload contains enough food to feed approximately 1,400 people for a week.

Food headed to rural Nevada communities

A portion of Thursday’s donation was sorted by volunteers and sent directly to rural pantries across the region, including New Frontier Food Pantry and Out of Egypt in Fallon, Living Faith in Fernley, and the Yerington Food Pantry, which serves Yerington and Silver Springs. The Food Bank of Northern Nevada will distribute the remainder through its network of partner agencies across northern Nevada.

Jocelyn Lantrip, director of marketing and communications for the Food Bank of Northern Nevada, said the organization serves 150,000 people struggling to make ends meet across a 90,000-square-mile service area.

“This particular donation is also being shipped right away to some of our rural communities — to Fallon, Fernley, Silver Springs, Yerington,” Lantrip said. “So we’re excited that food is going out to those rural partners right away.”

A significant partnership

Lantrip said the food bank provided more than 23 million meals last year and described the truckload as a sizable donation. She said the church has been a long-standing partner of the food bank, contributing through volunteering, food donations, and monetary donations.

“We have been partnering with the church for many years,” Lantrip said. “It’s a significant partnership, and we value it very much.”

Volunteers recognized

The event also included the presentation of two Heart of Service Awards — one honoring the Food Bank of Northern Nevada as an exemplary nonprofit organization, and one honoring a top volunteer selected by the Food Bank’s Board of Directors.

Bill Hoffman, a retired volunteer recognized at the event, said his greatest satisfaction comes from direct community distribution.

“I’ve had, you know, like a lady with her child come up and say, ‘Thank you so much. We couldn’t make it without this,’” Hoffman said. “So I think that’s where we really get a reward.”

Volunteer Janice Rock said the donation reflects the importance of community service.

“There’s a lot of food insecurity right now,” Rock said. “And it just needs to be done. These people need the food.”

Broader initiative

JustServe is partnering with America250 to support what organizers describe as an effort to make 2026 the largest year of service and volunteerism in U.S. history. FamilySearch is also participating in the America 250 celebration by inviting Americans to explore and record their family histories.

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