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One of a series of national donations of 53-foot semi-truck loads of food is coming to Bartlesville and Owasso.

On Thursday, June 18th, 2020, the truck will bring over 41,000 pounds of long-life, shelf-stable food from Salt Lake City, where The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is headquartered. Mary Martha Outreach in Bartlesville will be the first recipient, where half of the shipment will be divided by local volunteers and missionaries. The semi-truck will then proceed to Owasso Community Resources to deliver the second half, where volunteers and missionaries will work shoulder to shoulder with the non-profit to alleviate hunger.

According to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, 632,000 Oklahomans are at risk of going hungry on a regular basis, pre-pandemic. The donation will provide over 35,000 equivalent meals to local recipients. This is the first official large-scale donation from the Church in the Owasso and Bartlesville communities, though membership in the region regularly holds service-oriented activities to provide localized donations of items such as hygiene kits, diapers, food, and emergency supplies. During the pandemic, the Church has also partnered regionally with the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, Integris Health, Hungry Hearts Feeding Ministry, and Broken Arrow Neighbors.

“We’re pleased to work side by side with these wonderful nonprofits in the Bartlesville and Owasso communities who work diligently to distribute food to those who need it most during challenging times” said Melanie Bayles, Communications Director for the Bartlesville Oklahoma Stake. She continues, “Food pantries like these not only fill empty stomachs but also fill people’s hearts with hope.”

The Bartlesville Oklahoma Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has congregations from Independence, Kansas to Cleveland, Oklahoma -- including 3 congregations in Bartlesville and 3 congregations in the Owasso area. President Matthew L. Bell of Claremore, Oklahoma, has led the regional membership since 2014.