Pictured left to right: Scott Milne (Afton Stake President), Lance Oviatt (Afton Stake Communications Director)Kelsey Wood (Thayne Food Bank), Karen Wallentine, (Kemmerer Food Bank), Sierra Mitchell (Afton Food Pantry), Mike Hobby (Alpine Food Bank), and Janey Grover (Local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Welfare and Self-Reliance Manager), stand together in Afton on May 27 with the truck that delivered 40,000 pounds of food product that will stock the shelves of five food banks throughout Lincoln County. SVI PHOTO/JANET ERICKSON

Leaders and volunteers from seven organizations gathered Wednesday, May 27 at the National Guard Readiness Center in Afton to unload a semi-truck filled with staple food products donated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to five food banks throughout Lincoln County.  Service missionaries, food bank staff members and national guardsmen worked for several hours to unload and portion out the shipment.

Food banks in Afton, Thayne, Alpine, Cokeville and Kemmerer received a portion of the load as determined by the number of patrons each food bank serves. The 40,000 pounds of food products will provide approximately 1400 meals, which is sufficient to provide a substantial meal for 350-400 families. Products in the shipment included a variety of canned fruits, vegetables and meats, pasta, flour, pancake mix and dried milk. Though the church purchases some of the products that it donates, most of the goods are produced by the church and the entire program is funded by church member donations.

“This is an awesome opportunity for the community to come together and to benefit from the sacrifice and the donations of members of the church, and to be able to support one another and to be able to help people who are struggling,” said Scott Milne, who serves as Stake President of the Afton,

Wyoming Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “It’s so fun to see so many people from different organizations coming together for the same purpose.”

According to a press release issued in November 2025, the church, in celebration of the 250th 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.

“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.”

Jeff Norberg, who drives full-time for the church, transporting supplies and food products throughout the nation, brought the Lincoln County shipment to Afton from Salt Lake City. He transports “a lot of these. We just have dedicated 250 of them through the America250 program” in collaboration with the church’s Just Serve division.

“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. “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. We are deeply thankful for the support of all churches in our communities who continually step forward to care for neighbors in need. This donation will bring comfort, hope, and stability to so many of our patrons.”