Katy Christian Ministries Receives 20,000 Pound Food Donation

“ A big, abundant blessing” is how Executive Director of Katy Christian Ministries, Deysi Crespo, described a donation of 20,000 pounds of food which was delivered last week from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the Katy food bank.

The food was sent in response to the additional needs faced by so many as a result of the freezing temperatures in Texas. The Church distributed 2.4 million pounds of food across the state, and according to Katy Christian Ministries, it could not have come at a better time. “With what people are already experiencing due to COVID, and then you add another disaster on top of it, things are very difficult for people. We cannot do this work alone. We depend entirely on support from our community, so this is just a huge blessing to help us reach the many families in need,” says Crespo.

Katy Christian Ministries is well known for its work as a food bank, but it also provides the Katy/West Houston, Fulshear & Simonton areas with social services. It offers emergency financial assistance and has a crisis center that supports domestic abuse and sexual assault victims.

Partnering with organizations and churches like The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints allows these essential services to continue. As well as sending essentials like food, The Church holds donation drives and encourages members to serve as volunteers, including its young missionaries who come every week.

Using donations from Church members around the world, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints grows, produces and delivers food to its own members in need and also to community organizations such as Katy Christian Ministries and the Houston Food Bank. “We’re good at the bigger picture but we don’t have retail stores or facilities where we can distribute food to the individuals in need,” says Kelly Foss, Houston South Communications Director from The Church. “We rely on organizations like this one to reach those in most need.”

As well as community organizations, The Church also partners with larger charities on an international scale. It recently announced a donation of $20million to UNICEF to assist in getting COVID-19 vaccines to 196 participating COVAX countries and economies by the end of 2021. Church leader Bishop Gerald Caussé explained the motivation behind the donation: “We hold hope in our hearts, not only of overcoming the pandemic, but of seeing a brighter future for all children, their parents and their families. This future becomes a reality as we follow the example of Jesus Christ in loving our neighbor and seeking out those in need.”

Anyone wishing to donate food or other items to Katy Christian Ministries can bring them to the food pantry on 5506 1st Street in Old Katy or use the red barrels at HEB and Kroger stores. Volunteer opportunities are listed at www.ktcm.org and www.justserve.org.