Farmers Feeding Utah Launches “Miracle Projects” to Needy Families in Provo and Ogden

As families and individuals continue to struggle with food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Miracle of Agriculture Foundation’s “Farmers Feeding Utah” campaign will hold two more “Miracle Projects” to provide relief to farmers and families. In partnership with Utah State University Extension, the projects will take place Friday, Nov. 20, in Provo and Tuesday, Nov. 24, in Ogden.

As with all previous “Miracle Projects,” volunteers will be required to wear masks, and those receiving food will stay in their vehicles as volunteers place the food inside for them.

“The Farmers Feeding Utah program is a win-win for everyone,” said Heidi LeBlanc, director of the Utah State University Hunger Solutions Institute and USU Extension’s Create Better Health program. “By serving food insecure families and individuals in the Provo and Ogden areas, we are hoping to stretch families’ spending ability by giving them high quality, locally grown food. The program is helping inspire public confidence and support in American agriculture and meeting hunger needs at the same time. It is great for everyone involved,” LeBlanc said.

Donations to the Farmers Feeding Utah projects are used to purchase, process and deliver food to families in need, giving both struggling farmers and Utah families a hand up. 

The Provo event will provide food donations to approximately 400 families. For the Ogden event, Farmers Feeding Utah is partnering with the Weber County Sheriff’s office for “Cops & Crops – a Miracle of Agriculture Foundation food event,” where law enforcement officers will hand out frozen turkeys, potatoes, stuffing mix, dairy products, apples and flour as well as recipes from the Create Better Health program. They will provide food to more than 1,000 families as well as various partner food pantries in the region.

The Provo event will be held Friday, Nov. 20, from noon to 2 p.m. outside the northwest corner of the Utah Valley Convention Center, at approximately 100 North and 300 West in Provo. The Ogden event will be held Tuesday, Nov. 24, from 5-7 p.m. at the Weber County Fairgrounds in Ogden.

To date, the Farmers Feeding Utah campaign has provided approximately 600,000 lbs. of food, with a retail value of more than $800,000, to Utah residents in the Navajo Nation, northern Utah, West Salt Lake and Vernal as well as to smaller community pantries throughout the Wasatch Front.

To make a tax-deductible contribution to the project, visit Farmers Feeding Utah.

Writers: Julene Reese, 435-757-6418, Julene.reese@usu.edu

              Matt Hargreaves, 801-455-4320, Matt.Hargreaves@fbfs.com

Contact: Heidi LeBlanc, 435-760-0925, Heidi.Leblanc@usu.edu