By Ken Jarvis, Area Media Specialist
Representatives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and San Antonio area charities were milling about in the front lobby of the San Antonio Food Bank waiting for a truckload of food to arrive from Salt Lake City. As they waited, they talked about their common interest; service.
One of the people waiting was Amy Aguiñaga, Director of West Avenue Compassion, a food and clothing pantry. They would receive about a quarter of today’s truckload. “I compare us to a small convenience store,” she said. “For example, on Tuesdays we do a massive food distribution. We come out to the Food Bank, get the food, pack it all up and distribute it.”
But her relationship with the Latter-day Saint Church isn’t just about commodities or service one day a week. Elder and Sister Taggart, San Antonio Mission Senior missionaries, not only volunteer there, they help coordinate the younger missionaries who volunteer their service hours at West Avenue Compassion.
Aguiñaga said, “I met Elder John and Sister Marilyn (Taggart) a couple of months ago. They came in and were looking for somewhere for their missionaries to serve. It takes about 30 to 50 volunteers each week to make us run. They (the Taggarts) came in and said, ‘we need a place to serve,’ and I replied, we need you, and we need those younger kids.” She added that the average volunteer’s age is about 50 to 70 so the young missionaries provide some badly needed physical strength.
The Taggarts were delighted. It was a perfect fit for them and the younger missionaries. “One of our assignments is to work with the young missionaries to find service opportunities. We’ve been spending a lot of time finding food pantries, thrift stores, community service organizations near where the missionaries live so they can fulfill their assignment to serve 10 hours a week in community service.”
Sister Taggart said that one of the best aspects of their mission is, “…the opportunity to be of service and the organizations that we have found and work with, especially the West Avenue Compassion volunteers. We work side by side with them.”
She went on to say, “I’ve really learned the great blessing of working with other faith-based organizations. It gives us a great opportunity to know and love other people and our mutual love for the Savior. We’ve developed some very sweet and rich associations that I believe will continue long past the time that we return home from our mission.”
In six weeks the Taggarts will return to their home in Raleigh, NC.
Aguiñaga agreed. “Our relationship is just wonderful. They have come in and been willing to do whatever is needed to be done. We’ve enjoyed both the young missionaries and the Taggarts. They have been openhearted, and they work hard.”
The truckload of food that arrived that day was divided up among different charities as follows; SA Food Bank – 30%, Catholic Charities – 25%, West Avenue Compassion – 25%, Other assorted Charities – 20%. But these charities don’t need just commodities. They need manpower. If you’re interested in helping, go to www.justserve.org.