ROY • As the holiday season approaches, the Utah Food Bank on Thursday celebrated the beginning of some large seasonal donations and emphasized the need for many more.

Food bank trucks picked up around 400 turkeys and more than 6,000 pounds of food at Harmons grocery store, 5370 South 1900 West in Roy, Thursday morning. The effort marked the seventh annual food drive collaboration between America First Credit Union and the store.

The two businesses collected food and financial donations from more than 100 America First Credit Union branch locations statewide for the past month. All donations will be sorted and sent out to areas around the state in preparation for the holiday season.

Utah Food Bank Chief Marketing Officer Ginette Bott said 10,000 turkeys have been collected but 8,000 more are needed to feed families across the state. Food and cash contributions are down this year in Utah, she said, but the need for help is still great.

"Donors last year have had to become recipients of our program this year," Bott said.

Bott said although the food bank has been fairly isolated from the dramatic effects of the nation's economic downturn, it is now starting to experience the dire need food banks elsewhere have seen. Food drive specialist Brandon Daniels of the Utah Food Bank says it isn't too late for those in the community to set up their own food drive by going to the food bank's website.

"If you want a service project during the holidays, we can never have too many," Daniels said. "It is a great way to get everyone involved."

Bott said partnerships like Harmons and America First are so important because they allow the food bank to financially supplement what they don't have in actual food donations.

"We recognize what we have to do could not be achieved without partnerships like this," Bott said.

Nicole Cypers, community outreach administrator for America First Credit Union said working with the grocery store for the past seven years on turkey donations has been a natural fit since many of the bank branches are located in Harmons stores.

"They give us a break on the cost of the turkeys, so we are able to buy more turkeys to be able to provide to the food bank," Cypers said.

The event is an avenue for others to give back to communities for the holidays and offer service.

"The philosophy of credit unions is people helping people," Cypers said.

America First has donated more than 66,000 pounds of collected food from its employees and members over the past seven years. The food drive collaboration between Harmons and America First is the only one of its kind in the state, but Smith's Food and RC Willey also serve as food drive drop off locations during the holidays.

cimaron@sltrib.com

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How to help

Utah Food Bank donations can be dropped off at Smith's and RC Willey locations. The deadline is Nov. 16, but donations are always accepted. To find out how to set up your own food drive, visit www.utahfoodbank.org/give-now