BOUNTIFUL — Mayor Joe Johnson, here, has “gotten more involved” with the Bountiful Community Food Pantry of late.

Now he wants to spread the message of that facility at 480 E. 150 North, tucked behind Bountiful Community Church.

One way to spread that message is through the mayoral Council of Governments, which will now hold its September meeting there.

“There are a tremendous amount of volunteers who give of their time, energy and thoughtfulness to help people,” Johnson said.

“I don’t think we appreciate their (Food Pantry) numbers, the large number of people who use it regularly. That’s people who are unemployed, suffer sicknesses, death or divorce – are in desperate need of food,” he said.

“We were applying for a grant through the county, wanted to make the different decision makers aware of what we’re doing,” said Pantry Operations Director Dave Karcher, the only full-time employee.

“A need exists in south Davis County,” he emphasized. “A lot of people don’t believe there is poverty in this area. They look to the mountains and they see beautiful homes, with tennis courts.

“But there is a need,” he continued. “We see probably 1,800 people every month who are living in poverty as defined by the federal government. It’s a huge issue. People are just not aware of it.

“I don’t think a lot of our community officials know what the Food Pantry looks like, what it is,” the mayor said.

It started as a table in the Community Church, years ago, and then, as now, is virtually volunteer-driven. The current 10,000 square-foot facility was built a few years ago because there was no more space within the church buildings themselves.

“There are a lot more people in need now than there have been for a long time,” Johnson said. “As an elected official, I am so pleased to have that kind of a facility available to people who need it.

“I don’t want families to be without food. Now if we can connect people up with ways to provide a living wage, then we will really accomplish something,” he said, referring to the case manager being hired at the Food Pantry.

That part-time person will assist patrons with finding other human services, ultimately with the hope they can move beyond a need for the pantry.

The pantry serves residents from Farmington south, or an area of nearly 100,000 people.

tbusselberg@davisclipper.com