With the 2026 Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season fast approaching, the Utah Food Bank is working hard to meet increased demand across the state. In response and in recognition of 50 years of HCA Healthcare – known locally as MountainStar Healthcare – in Utah, the HCA Healthcare Mountain Division announced that the HCA Healthcare Foundation awarded a $50,000 grant to Utah Food Bank. The grant will help address food insecurity in communities statewide.
The funding is made possible through the HCA Healthcare Foundation’s Healthier Tomorrow Fund, a community impact fund that addresses high-priority needs. The grant will support Utah Food Bank's efforts to address food insecurity and expand access to nutritious food to Utahns and their families. The investment reflects MountainStar Healthcare's commitment to improving the health and well-being of the communities served by its eight Utah hospitals, from Logan to Payson.
Nathan Miller, the AVP of Community Engagement for the Mountain Division, presented the grant check on Tuesday to Ginette Bott, the President and CEO at Utah Food Bank, during a news segment with FOX13’s The PLACE host, Jenny Hardman. Meanwhile, MountainStar Healthcare executives and leaders participated in a service project at the food bank’s headquarters.
“We are honored to receive this generous support from HCA Healthcare. This grant will help Utah Food Bank provide fresh, nutritious produce to the more than 533,000 Utahns facing hunger, with much of that food reaching children and families through our Mobile School Pantry program,” according to Ginette Bott, Utah Food Bank President & CEO. “As HCA Healthcare celebrates 50 years of serving Utah, we are grateful for their partnership and shared commitment to building healthier, stronger communities.”
Utah Food Bank’s Mobile School Pantry program complements both school meal programs and other childhood hunger programs. It provides a cost-effective food distribution point for children and their families at the end of the school day in a safe and trusted environment—their school. Each month during the school year, the food bank truck arrives on school property, where Utah Food Bank staff and volunteers assist students and their parents with the food they need.
Mobile School Pantry services are available to all students enrolled in the school and their immediate households as well as school faculty.
The mission of Utah Food Bank is “Fighting Hunger Statewide.” It was founded in 1904.
“Food, time and money – those are three ways anyone can help,” Bott added.
In a press release about the $50,000 grant, Dr. Sara Kelly – the Chief Medical Officer for MountainStar Healthcare and the HCA Healthcare Mountain Division – said, “Access to nutritious food is one of the most fundamental building blocks of good health. As healthcare providers, we see firsthand how food insecurity can impact the health and well-being of individuals and families.” She continued, “As we celebrate 50 years of HCA Healthcare in Utah, this partnership with Utah Food Bank reflects our commitment to caring for our communities beyond the walls of our hospitals and investing in healthier tomorrows for all Utahns.”
The partnership will also create meaningful volunteer opportunities for colleagues across all eight Utah hospitals, strengthening connections between HCA Healthcare colleagues and the communities they serve.
In addition to the $50,000 grant awarded to Utah Food Bank, the HCA Healthcare Foundation has invested another $50,000 in local nonprofit organizations across MountainStar Healthcare's eight Utah hospitals, bringing its total investment celebrating 50 years of HCA Healthcare in Utah to $100,000. The grant pilot empowers hospital colleagues to identify local nonprofit organizations they are passionate about funding through the HCA Healthcare Foundation. Colleagues’ participation in this effort helps to reflect and then address the unique needs of the communities each hospital serves.
Through this colleague-driven initiative, hospital employees submitted 86 nonprofit nominations reflecting the unique needs of their communities and the causes that resonate with each hospital's culture and colleagues. Each hospital's Employee Advisory Group (EAG), a team of colleagues who help shape hospital culture and engagement, helped select a local nonprofit organization to receive funding, strengthening community partnerships and creating new opportunities for volunteerism and service. The following organizations were selected and are expected to receive their grants in the coming weeks:
- Cache Valley Hospital – Cache Refugee and Immigrant Connection
- Brigham City Community Hospital – Box Elder Family Support Center
- Ogden Regional Medical Center – YCC Family Crisis Center
- Lakeview Hospital – Bountiful Food Pantry
- St. Mark's Hospital – USANA Kids Eat
- Lone Peak Hospital – WasteLess Solutions
- Timpanogos Regional Hospital – Utah Valley Refugees
- Mountain View Hospital – United Way of Utah County
Food Insecurity in Utah
According to the Utah Food Bank, 533,000 Utahns, and 1 in 5 Utah children are unsure where their next meal is coming from.
Hunger isn’t just about empty plates. Hunger impacts the health, education, stability and economic well-being of our communities. Ensuring access to nutritious food helps people and communities thrive.
Bott says that food insecurity, just like the health issues it can cause, has become chronic in our state. Utah is no exception to the issues so many families nationwide are battling in order to put food on the table.
The Utah Food Bank is an essential resource for our neighbors facing hunger. It covers 82,170 square miles—the entire state.
The Utah Food Bank is one of only a few food banks nationwide to distribute food free-of-charge to its statewide network of partner agencies. Last year, Utah Food Bank distributed 69.4 million pounds of food – equivalent to 57.8 million meals – throughout the state of Utah. Thanks to incredible community partnerships, it can stretch each $1 donated into $6.08 worth of goods and services.
The Utah Food Bank benefited from 198,563 volunteer hours in 2025—the equivalent of 95 full-time employees. The nonprofit organization says it cannot distribute 57.8 million meals statewide without the help of volunteers.
To fill out and submit a volunteer request form, click here. To learn more and/or donate, visit UtahFoodBank.org.
About the Healthier Tomorrow Fund & HCA Healthcare Foundation
The Healthier Tomorrow Fund at the HCA Healthcare Foundation supports innovative initiatives focused on addressing high-priority community needs and advancing community health. Through partnerships with nonprofit organizations, the fund seeks to reduce barriers to health and create meaningful, lasting impact in the communities HCA Healthcare serves.
Funding the <i>Healthier Tomorrow Fund</i> is one example of the many ways HCA Healthcare – known in Utah as MountainStar Healthcare – is making a positive impact in the communities it serves. In 2024, HCA Healthcare provided charity care, uninsured discounts and other uncompensated care at an estimated cost of $4.4 billion. Additionally, HCA Healthcare contributed more than $48.5 million to community organizations in 2024.
Since 1998, the HCA Healthcare Foundation has contributed over $242 million in grants and matching gifts to more than 500 agencies and organizations, focusing on those that promote health and well-being, education and quality of life.
The mission of the HCA Healthcare Foundation is to promote health and well-being and strive to make a positive impact in all the communities HCA Healthcare serves. For more information about the foundation, visit www.hcahealthcareimpact.com.
There are eight MountainStar Healthcare hospitals in Utah. They include Cache Valley Hospital (Logan), Brigham City Community Hospital, Ogden Regional Medical Center, Lakeview Hospital (Bountiful), St. Mark’s Hospital (Millcreek/Salt Lake City), Lone Peak Hospital (Draper), Timpanogos Regional Hospital (Orem), and Mountain View Hospital (Payson). If you’re interested in learning about the Utah health system or other community efforts MountainStar Healthcare hospitals engage in, visit MountainStar.com.
