The Utah Food Bank opened its newest site in the Southeastern Distribution Center in Blanding on Wednesday. This new location is designed to support both San Juan County and the Navajo Nation.
For thirty years, only one truck has traveled to and from the area. Ginette Bott, president and CEO of the Utah Food Bank, stated that while the region may be considered a desert, the Navajo Nation community should not have to be a food desert. Bott noted the need to reduce the miles that were geographically causing problems.
The new facility features an 18,000-square-foot distribution center along with an 1,800-square-foot pantry and refrigerator and freezer space. These additions have increased the amount of fresh food available to residents.
According to Bott, the organization is working to combine ease, effectiveness, efficiency, and dignity for families in need to make the process as easy as possible. The move is positioned to address the needs of Utah's Indigenous population.
Utah Food Bank officials reported that San Juan County residents face significantly higher rates of hunger than the state average. While 10% of the state reports food insecurity, 17% of San Juan County residents do. Childhood hunger is even more prevalent, with 20% of children in the area uncertain about their next meal, which is double the statewide average.
To accommodate working residents, the pantry will offer varied hours, including days when people can visit after 5 p.m. and one Saturday per month for those who need to travel.
The Blanding distribution center is intended to be a constant for consistent access to food resources while providing jobs and volunteer opportunities. This facility will also support two new Utah Food Bank pantries scheduled to open in March in Monument Valley and Montezuma Creek.
