Ground-breaking set for ecumenical food bank storage facility in Layton

Friday, Mar. 22, 2019

LAYTON — Back in the 1980s, when St. Rose of Lima Catholic Parish started getting many requests from people in need, poverty vouchers were distributed in an effort to help. The parish secretary, Laurell Martinez, contacted other churches in the area and found that they were receiving the same requests, but to her surprise, no organization in northern Davis County helped those in need. To address the issue, St. Rose of Lima, Layton Hills Baptist, First Southern Baptist (which later became Mt. View Baptist and Layton Hills Baptist), Lutheran Trinity and Clearfield Community churches, and for some time St. Peter’s Episcopal and Westminster Presbyterian, combined their resources to form the  nonprofit organization Fish ’N Loaves.

Fish ’N Loaves is an ecumenical food bank that provides emergency food to people in need in north Davis County.

“The first food storage area was a room in the basement of St. Rose of Lima on Main Street in Layton,” said Judith Vogel, who in 2006 became part of the St. Rose Parish community. 

When more room was needed, the food bank moved to an empty storage unit owned by a parishioner. Then it was relocated to a room in Layton Hills Baptist Church, and finally to a trailer on the Layton Hills Baptist Church property, she said. 

Families are eligible for assistance through the food bank every three months. Fish ’N Loaves is intended as an emergency service for those experiencing a one-time problem, or for people who are waiting for a more permanent means of assistance.  

When someone reaches out to one of the member churches for help, a dispatcher is called to contact a volunteer driver, who picks up items from the storage facility and delivers the food and other items, Vogel said. 

“The goal is to deliver food to the individual/family within 48 hours,” she said. 

Most donations to Fish ’N Loaves come from the Boy Scout Food Drive and from donations from each church. Perishable items are purchased with money donated to the various churches.

“We also receive food from the Family Connection Center when our supply runs low,” Vogel said, adding that demand through the years has increased. For example, in January when the federal government suffered a partial shutdown, Fish ’N Loaves received more calls for help.

“People were used to getting paychecks and they were fine, but some were living paycheck to paycheck, so when they didn’t get a paycheck for a couple of weeks they were in a situation that they simply had to feed their families somehow. … That is the main idea of Fish ’N Loaves – when there is a problem, people can call any of these churches and we can deliver them food,” Vogel said. 

Along with the delivery of food, Fish ’N Loaves drivers also provide information about other places where people can receive more permanent help.

“We, as Christians, were instructed to ‘feed the hungry,’” Vogel said. “We do not know the reason behind someone’s need for help, and it doesn’t matter. What matters is that every individual be given the chance to live a full life, for themselves and as a contributing member of society, to the best of their ability. It is hard, if not impossible, to do that if one does not have the nourishment needed to fuel the body.”

The trailer in which Fish ’N Loaves is storing the food is badly in need of replacement. On March 30, a ground-breaking ceremony will be held for the new storage facility, for which they have had a building fund, “but the electrical and plumbing requirements also must be considered,” Vogel said.

“As with any other charitable organization, monetary donations are always welcome. Also, being a food pantry, contributions of food are always appreciated,” she said, adding that toiletry items, diapers and other items that a family needs to function are also accepted.

For information, call Layton Hills Baptist Church at 801-544-2426 and leave a message. People can also contact Saint Rose of Lima Parish directly at 801-544-4269.