Truckload of Donated Food Arrives in Castle Rock as America250 and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Support Families Facing Hunger
By Corey Christiansen, Denver Metro Area News Media Specialist
CASTLE ROCK, CO – As the Front Range prepares to celebrate the upcoming holiday season, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The Rock Church and America250 recently welcomed a fully-loaded JustServe/America250 branded truck to the Castle Rock community. The truck carried 40,000 pounds of Church-donated food for families in need across the southern Denver metro area, including Douglas County and Elbert County.
“This is going to have a huge impact on helping the needs in our community,” said Mike Polhemus, Lead Pastor at The Rock Church. “There is a huge need to help people.”
The delivery is part of a national collaboration kicked off in November 2025, in which The Church of Jesus Christ is donating 250 truckloads of food to communities in all 50 states. Through America250’s America Gives initiative and the Church’s JustServe platform, volunteers, local leaders and community organizations are coming together to put service into action.
JustServe is a community service platform sponsored by the Church that connects volunteers with local service opportunities. Its purpose is to help individuals and organizations strengthen their communities by serving together.
The 250 deliveries will provide millions of meals to families in need across the United States as part of the America Gives initiative. This particular shipment of food will benefit food banks at The Rock Church, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church and the Help & Hope Center.
Lindy Mariotti Matthews is the Pastor of Care at The Rock Church and oversees her church’s food bank which assists between 1,200 to 1,500 people every month. Referring to the massive amount of food that arrived on the truck, she said, “It’s so amazing and it’s such a blessing what they’re able to do not just for our church, but for other organizations that will be participating today.” Volunteers from all of the organizations receiving the food joined representatives from JustServe and missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to unload, organize and distribute the hundreds of boxes.
Christina Steeg labeled herself “Chief Volunteer” for the massive effort to unload the truck and was ecstatic to be there helping her community. She works as the President for St. Vincent de Paul in Castle Rock which is the outward ministry for St. Francis of Assisi. Her ministry provides food for 320-400 people per week and that number is growing at an average of 8-10% every month.
Steeg said this significant food donation is invaluable for her community. “The food benefits the people we serve because our mission is also to help people with rent and utility assistance. And so if we’re able to offset their need for food, they have the capacity to pay another bill and hopefully keep them in their household as well as have the ability to go to and from work. This gracious gift will help us for about four months. And so if you do the math, it’s about 16,000 people that we’ll help.”
At the Help & Hope Center, Food Pantry Manager Steve Rivoir echoed the increasing need for community assistance. “Clients whom we haven’t seen in one or more years are returning to get groceries, household items and clothing. Some are in a position they’ve never been in and are requesting rental assistance. Many clients are working one and two jobs and doing the best they can, but their income is not keeping up with the rising cost of living.”
“We’re incredibly grateful for this donation and for the Church’s commitment to supporting local communities,” Rivoir said. “Community support like this helps us provide more food to families facing hardship and strengthen our ability to meet growing needs in Douglas and Elbert Counties. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has provided food to the Help & Hope Center every year for at least five years. We have also had numerous volunteers work alongside us for as long as I have been here (7+ years).”
When Steeg was asked to express her feelings about the Church’s donation, she couldn’t contain her gratitude. “It’s the most gracious gift that we’ve received in the last five years,” she said. “It offsets so much expense that we’re able to help so many more households.”
“We just want to say thank you so much to everyone and all their effort,” said Mariotti Matthews. “We’re so honored and blessed. And to see what God’s going to do with all of this is just magnificent.”
Americans are invited to help make 2026 a record-setting year for volunteer service. Join the initiative and find volunteer opportunities at JustServe.org.
