Kent’s Market in Plain City turned its parking lot into a staging ground of gratitude on Armed Forces Day, hosting its annual Meals for Military event in partnership with Operation Homefront, Associated Food Stores and dozens of national and local vendors.
On Saturday, May 16, volunteers lined up early to greet more than 400 military families, many of whom are lower-income service members stationed at nearby Hill Air Force Base. From 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., each family drove through and had their vehicles loaded with bags of groceries, household essentials, fresh produce, gift cards and other donated goods.
This year, organizers were able to reach even more families and provide larger individual donations than in previous years, building on a track record of steady growth. Since the program launched in 2021 with 50 families and two bags of groceries, it has grown exponentially. Last year, each family received roughly $700 worth of groceries and a $50 Kent’s gift card, bringing the total value of donations to nearly $300,000. This year each family received over $800 in groceries and an additional $5,000 in giveaways were also distributed. Over 225 volunteers participated and Kent’s donated over $30,000 in labor, $30,000 in groceries and an additional $15,000 cash donation to Operation Homefront.
“It’s incredible to see how this event has grown year after year,” said Allen Christensen, marketing and advertising manager for Associated Food Stores. “Kent’s puts their all into this for their communities. When you see these families drive through and the looks on their faces, you realize just how meaningful this support is. It’s an honor for AFS to stand alongside Kent’s and our vendor partners in giving back to the men and women who sacrifice so much for our country.”
Several AFS leaders volunteered at the event, including Boyd Irving, vice president of center store; Mindy Miller, vice president of retail data analytics; and David Panter, vice president of business intelligence, Todd Bell, vice president of procurement, among others. Their presence reflected a commitment made by AFS senior leadership to support the event annually.
Kent’s Market President and CEO Jon Fawson personally invited AFS team members to participate, noting that more than 800 military members are currently deployed from Hill Air Force Base. “This is our way of giving back to those families who are sacrificing so much during this time,” Jon said.
Volunteers from Operation Homefront, Hill Air Force Base, more than 25 vendor partners and AFS team members worked side by side to distribute products and load vehicles. In addition to groceries, families were treated to a barbecue meal prepared by Kent’s and entered into prize drawings for sporting goods, camping gear and outdoor equipment.
According to Operation Homefront, one in four junior enlisted military families report food insecurity. The Kent’s program has been recognized as best in class nationally by the nonprofit, which has exclusively partnered with Kent’s and AFS in Utah.
This memorable event encapsulates the spirit of Kent’s Market, Associated Food Stores and its tremendous partners, all dedicated to serving the communities that serve us.