40,000 Pounds of Food Delivered to Mercer Street Friends in Historic 250th Anniversary Service Initiative

A fully loaded JustServe/America250-branded semi-truck rolled into Mercer Street Friends Food Bank on Thursday, July 2, delivering approximately 40,000 pounds of food donated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to support families facing food insecurity in the Trenton, New Jersey area.

The delivery marked one of 250 truckloads being distributed to food banks across all 50 states as part of America250's "America Gives" initiative, a nationwide effort launched in November 2025 in collaboration with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Together, the 250 deliveries are expected to provide an estimated 10 million meals to families in need throughout the country as the nation marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Local leaders, volunteers, and community partners gathered at Mercer Street Friends to welcome the truck and celebrate the spirit of service behind the initiative.

“Mercer Street Friends is thrilled to welcome a significant donation to our food bank from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,” said Randall West, CEO of Mercer Street Friends. “The timing of this delivery could not be more opportune as we see the urgent need for food rising daily amongst our neighbors. Mercer Street Friends is truly grateful to be a recipient of their generosity. We applaud their spirit of volunteerism and thank Church leadership for supporting Mercer Street Friends, our neighbors, and all organizations throughout America, particularly at such a pivotal moment in time.”

The donation draws on the Church's established infrastructure, volunteer network, and humanitarian food resources, channeled through its JustServe platform — a community service platform that connects volunteers with local service opportunities. By pairing that infrastructure with America250's national commemoration, organizers say the initiative turns a milestone anniversary into tangible, local impact for neighborhoods like Ewing and Trenton.

“More than 30% of all volunteer hours in the United States are generated by faith-based organizations,” said Cathy Gillespie, Commissioner of America250. “Service can unite us. It invites people from every background to work side by side, regardless of political or religious views.”

Following the delivery volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints assisted in compiling boxes of food to be provided to the community members Mercer Street Friends serves.

The July 2^nd delivery is one stop in a much larger campaign: 250 truckloads bound for communities in all 50 states, each one intended to strengthen the safety net for families experiencing hunger. The 250th anniversary of the nation's founding is not just a year of commemoration, but an opportunity to put its founding ideals into practice through service.

Americans interested in getting involved can find local volunteer opportunities at JustServe.org.