On Thursday, the North Beach Senior Center accepted delivery of over 30,000 pounds of food from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City, according to a press release.

The donation comes at a time of high need for many individuals and families due to cold weather and a slow economy that thrives on tourism. The food donation includes mixed canned goods, vegetables, fruit and other necessary household staples. This is the second such shipment the Church has sent to the North Beach area in the past year.

“A very huge thank you to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was a great day at the North Beach Senior Center, North Beach Food Alliance, North Beach Children’s Services in Ocean Shores,” the North Beach Senior Center said via Facebook. “The Church was very generous to us today, we received 24 pallets of shelf sustainable food items. This donation will be distributed out to our local food banks who in turn will give to those in need. We are blessed to have such a generous partner, thank you once again to the LDS Church and your support of our community.”

For more than 20 years, the North Beach Senior Center, in conjunction with several local food banks, has provided food to the Grays Harbor community, growing from operating in a garage, then later to a rented space and now to their own building with a thrift store, a kitchen, and warehouse space to support other non-government agencies. The organization serves thousands of individuals every year.

“My heart was full of gratitude when I learned another semi-truck food donation would soon arrive in Ocean Shores,” said Scott MacAlevy, Elma Stake president for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “We are blessed to have partnerships between the Church and the local communities in helping meet the critical needs of the less fortunate. I would like to thank Jeff Moyer, [North Beach] Senior Center director, for his help in distributing food to the local food banks and non-government organizations. I am always amazed by the many community volunteers who selflessly give so much of their time and for the Church members whose dedication of oftentimes ‘faithful widow’s mite donations’ make this effort possible.”

In addition to the Church, the North Beach Senior Center’s partner network includes the Save the Children Foundation, Food Lifeline, the Seabrook Community Foundation, the Thurston County Food Bank, We Do Better Relief, the Olympic Area Agency on Aging and many more.