The Christian Center of Park City food pantry’s new deputy director, Jaime Mira, said the mobile pantry recently set a household attendance record. He said 74 families collected food last week in Wasatch County.
It operates twice a week: Wednesdays in Summit County and Thursdays in Wasatch County.
Each event includes tables of produce, dry foods and snacks. Other nonprofits also participate by offering their services.
In Mira’s seven years working with the center, he said he has extended the food pantry to Coalville and Kamas.
“It gives me the opportunity to have a powerful voice with my community, representing my staff, my people," said Mira.
He said the center’s food pantries in Heber and Park City saw a reduction in visitors after President Donald Trump’s inauguration earlier this year.
In response, Mira said his teams left food on doorsteps in predominantly Latino communities so residents wouldn’t have to leave their homes.
Months later, the mobile food pantry is drawing record numbers.
Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. the pantries are in new locations.
Mira said, from loading the truck to delivering the food, the nonprofit has over a dozen volunteers working behind the scenes.
He came to work at the Christian Center of Park City in a unique way.
When his family first moved to Summit County, he said his wife was the sole provider, working in housekeeping at a local hotel.
“We heard about the Christian Center of Park City and the food pantry, and we started visiting to receive food, and this is the first contact that I had with the food pantry,” Mira said.
From recipient to volunteer to manager to deputy director, Mira said his experiences with the nonprofit propelled him to now lead all food pantry efforts.
“I have the opportunity to meet new people, meet friends," he said. "Many friends visit us just to say hi or to take some food. Seeing the faces of the people is very important when they have something good.”
Mira said he tracks the number of households and people who participate each time to ensure the pantry can adequately support each location.
On the heels of Wasatch County’s record-breaking 74 families last week, Mira said the pantry served 52 Summit County families at the Victory at Summit apartments June 18.
Mira said the mobile food pantry will provide food services through Aug. 27 while the weather is warmest.
Learn more about the center’s mobile food pantry and other services here.
