LAYTON—What started out as a small effort by the Christian Life Center Church to assist those in need has grown into an ongoing project that feeds close to 200 families a month. 

“Love My City began about five to seven years ago,” said CLC Pastor Rob George. “We started an adopt a block ministry. Every summer we would adopt a low income apartment complex or mobile home community and we’d hold a big event to give out clothing and food. It was awesome to serve.”

During the winter months they provided meals at Thanksgiving and gifts at Christmas, he said. “Then COVID happened and we couldn’t go to the apartment complex. A friend of ours from the Bishop’s Storehouse needed to unload butter, cream and milk and wondered if we could use it.”

It was in the heat of COVID, said George. “We picked it up out of the truck and sent out a message on Facebook for people to come and get it. We fed like 40 to 50 people. Out of nowhere they came up.”

George said they got to thinking that maybe they could do it on a larger scale. “Last year, Pastor (Alfred) Murillo, the leader of Synergy in Action said, ‘I can get a truck full of food.’ Then others said ‘let’s do backpacks and clothes.’ A girl in our church started making toiletry kits. It was a way for us to help during COVID.”

The church fed 75 to 80 families. “It’s just gotten bigger,” George said. “This year we had a massive amount of cars that were lined into the parking lot. I got the idea of how to move traffic from the In-N-Out in Riverdale.”

CLC holds an event at the church on the last Saturday of every month. Last Saturday in addition to food they gave out backpacks, toiletries, clothing and offered free back to school haircuts. “We gave out 150 backpacks of supplies to kids K-12,” said George. “It was a lot of work. On top of that we talked to every single care and asked, ‘Would you like us to pray for you?’ If they said no that’s cool. We’d say ‘God is good’ and give them encouragement.”

Pastor Murillo helps work with any local organizations to get the food. “He goes to Costco or Sam’s for anything they’re getting rid of,” George said. “Also the Bishop’s Storehouse. He works to get that food into the hands of families. If not for him we wouldn’t be able to pull it off. He’s in the hospital right now with COVID fighting for his life.”

Donations come in from several places, he said. “The Baptist church in Layton gave us a ton of food from their pantry that they couldn’t use. We had that out that month. We’re fortunate to have people work with us that care about families in need. COVID really brought that out to take care of the less fortunate.”

Everybody is welcome, said George. “No questions asked. You don’t have to go to CLC – if you have a need we want to help. Our goal is to serve and show that God is good.”

For more information about Love My City events or to donate visit CLCLayton.org.