DAVE & DUJANOVIC

Utah Food Bank working to feed furloughed workers’ families

Jan 17, 2019, 1:56 PM

Utah Food Bank...

The Utah Food Bank is asking for help raising donations for those in need. (Photo: Ravell Call/Deseret News)

(Photo: Ravell Call/Deseret News)

SALT LAKE CITY — Gov. Gary Herbert and Lt. Gov. Spencer J. Cox have released a call to action to all Utahns. With over 10,000 furloughed employees in Utah struggling to make ends meet, they’ve called on every Utahn to donate to the Utah Food Bank.

Thousands of federal workers are going without pay as the longest government shutdown in history drags on. Last week, the Utah Department of Workforce said that 2,450 of those federal employees had already filed unemployment claims, with that number rising every day.

Several thousands more don’t have that option. Essential employees required to work through the shutdown for nothing more than the promise that they’ll paid when it ends are not allowed to apply for unemployment aid., and so are forced to struggle to find ways to feed their families while they wait for the paychecks to come in.

Utah Food Bank President Ginette Bott spoke to KSL Newsradio’s Dave & Dujanovic today to share what they’re doing to make sure those furloughed workers can put on food on their tables and how you can help.

How the Utah Food Bank helps furloughed workers

Utah Food Bank

Ginette Bott, president and CEO of Utah Food Bank, speaks to KSL Newsradio’s Dave & Dujanovic. (Photo: Qiling Wang / Deseret News)

Any federal worker affected by the furlough, Bott says, will be automatically eligible to get food at a Utah Food Bank pantry.

Normally, the different agencies set their own procedures to verify paperwork or to do anything else they need to ensure that their food is going out to people in need. However, to make things as easy as possible during the furlough, Bott says, the rules have changed.

Federal workers only need to show an ID, a work badge, or anything else that might show who they are and how they were affected by the furlough and they will get immediate help.

As for those essential employees who still have to work, the Food Bank is doing its best bring the food right to them. Next week, Bott says, the Food Bank will be going to the airport and handing out food to TSA workers.

For those want to help, the Utah Food Bank makes it as easy as they can to donate food or money. Speaking to Dave & Dujanvoic, Bott highlighted the Food Bank’s “Virtual Food Drive,” which lets donors pick out and pay for the food they want to donate online.

“We use your dollars and our buying power so we can buy more,” Bott says. For every $1 donated through the Virtual Food Drive, she says the Food Bank is able to get $7.34 worth of food and services.

Physical food donations, however, are still very valuable. “The dollars that come to us really are important,” she says, “but the product brings variety, and that’s important as well.”

Thanks to the generous spirit of the holiday season, the Utah Food Bank still has a great deal of resources to help out the needy. Bott says that, for the moment, “it really looks as though we are able to maintain some of those special things that we need to do.”

More help, however, always helps them take care of those in need, especially during a trying time like this one.

Anyone in need can find a pantry here, and anyone looking to help can donate here.

Dave & Dujanovic can be heard weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon on KSL Newsradio. Users can find the show on the KSL Newsradio website and app, as well as Apple Podcasts and Google Play.

affordable care actaffordable care act

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Dave & Dujanovic

1040 form shown, tax refund season is here...

Sam Herrera

Should you spend or save your tax refund?

Filing your taxes can be a headache but figuring out how to spend your tax refund might be a headache in its own right.

1 day ago

A woman in SLC was a victim of a hit-and-run on March 11....

KSL NewsRadio

S.L. County DA says driver in hit-and-run crashes stalked victims

The Salt Lake County district attorney said the driver allegedly involved in a series of hit-and-run crashes intentionally targeted his female victims

1 day ago

The icon for the video sharing TikTok app is seen on a smartphone, Feb. 28, 2023, in Marple Townshi...

Curt Gresseth

Utah mom fears loss of followers and income if TikTok sold

A Utah TikTok creator talks about what banning the app in the U.S. would do to her family's primary source of income.

6 days ago

Join KSL NewsRadio live from Salt Lake County Animal Services on March 28, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 12 ...

Emily Ashmead

Tails of Hope: KSL NewsRadio live from Salt Lake County Animal Services

This special broadcast of Dave & Dujanovic will cover what changes will be made to Utah animal shelters to accommodate the newest regulations.

7 days ago

fixer-upper...

Curt Gresseth

Can’t afford new home? Would you renovate a fixer-upper?

Is it worth the work and money to attempt to renovate a fixer-upper home? Realtor discusses pros and cons.

8 days ago

tuition...

Curt Gresseth

How to take a big bite out of tuition costs in Utah

The University of Utah, Utah State University, Southern Utah University and Salt Lake Community College are all seeking approval for tuition increases for next year. But colleges and universities in the state offer tuition benefits for employees, spouse and dependent children under 26.

9 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Mother and cute toddler child in a little fancy wooden cottage, reading a book, drinking tea and en...

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

front of the Butch Cassidy museum with a man in a cowboy hat standing in the doorway...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking Back: The History of Bear Lake

The history of Bear Lake is full of fascinating stories. At over 250,000 years old, the lake has seen generations of people visit its shores.

silhouette of a family looking over a lake with a bird in the top corner flying...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

8 Fun Activities To Do in Bear Lake Without Getting in the Water

Bear Lake offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy without having to get in the water. Catch 8 of our favorite activities.

Wellsville Mountains in the spring with a pond in the foreground...

Wasatch Property Management

Advantages of Renting Over Owning a Home

Renting allows you to enjoy luxury amenities and low maintenance without the long-term commitment and responsibilities of owning a home.

Clouds over a red rock vista in Hurricane, Utah...

Wasatch Property Management

Why Southern Utah is a Retirement Paradise

Retirement in southern Utah offers plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities. Find out all that this region has to offer.

Utah Food Bank working to feed furloughed workers’ families