Church Donates 40,000 Pounds of Food to Local Pantries

At least 175 volunteers, mostly students, distributed 1,306 cases of donated supplies at Cal Poly on Veterans Day morning.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Philanthropy

Rows of stacked brown cardboard cases on wooden pallets sit on a dry golden lawn beside a terracotta-roofed building, illustrating a food donation distribution. — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints donated 1,306 cases of food and household supplies, about 40,000 pounds, to roughly 20 pantries across San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Volunteers distributed 1,306 cases of donated food and household supplies at Cal Poly on Veterans Day morning. The donation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints went to about 20 food pantries and community organizations across San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

Why it matters

The donation supplies food and household goods to pantries and nonprofits serving communities across three Central Coast counties. It is part of the Church's pledge to send 250 truckloads of food nationwide in honor of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The Church donated approximately 40,000 pounds of food and household supplies, which volunteers distributed as 1,306 cases to about 20 organizations. The truck was emptied 46 minutes after arriving at Cal Poly, and the figures do not indicate how many people the donation will reach.

The players

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

A global Christian denomination that runs humanitarian and welfare programs, including the America250 / Greater Love effort behind this donation.

Resilient Ones

A nonprofit that supports survivors of human trafficking and was among the recipient organizations for the donated supplies.

The details

Volunteers carried cases from pallets to pickup stations marked with each organization's name. The donation included rice, beans, pasta, diced tomatoes, peanut butter, pancake and waffle mix, raspberry jam, shampoo and dishwasher detergent. Recipients include the Cal Poly Food Pantry and Resilient Ones, a nonprofit supporting survivors of human trafficking.

Veterans Day morning: volunteers distributed donated food and supplies at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

Roadmap

This delivery is one local stop in the Church's America250 / Greater Love pledge to send 250 truckloads of food to communities across the United States. The San Luis Obispo distribution shows how that national commitment is being carried out through regional food pantries and nonprofits.

Residents who rely on the Cal Poly Food Pantry and the other recipient organizations may see restocked shelves as these supplies move into local distribution. Organizations in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties are receiving food and household goods that can be passed on to households in need.

The takeaway

Community food drives depend on volunteers, and this event relied on at least 175 people, most of them students, to move 1,306 cases in a single morning. Local residents who want to help pantries can look for volunteer and donation opportunities through the organizations they already know.