November is the month where we take time to be thankful and give back to our community. Together we CAN make a difference! 

In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships. Additionally, evidence shows that donating, giving back to your community, volunteering and helping others can also benefit our own mental health and wellbeing.

Throughout November fit20 Dixie Commons will be a collection point for the Utah Food Bank. Working to collect as many non-perishable items to help fight food scarcity and hunger in our local communities. We are challenging ourselves, our contacts and our member community to fit giving into their healthy habits.

Utah Food Bank strives, through its work and its resources, to reduce the toll that hunger and poverty takes on so many children and adults throughout our state. Last year, Utah Food Bank's Southern Distribution Center distributed close to 4.7 million pounds of food (that's the equivalent of 3.9 million meals) to Utah's six southernmost counties: Beaver, Iron, Washington, Garfield, Kane and San Juan. Opened in 2011, the Utah Food Bank Southern Distribution Center also serves the Kanosh Paiute Mobile Pantry in Millard County and some small, underserved communities just beyond Utahs southern border in Arizona.

Historically, local pantries received fewer deliveries from Utah Food Bank's Salt Lake warehouse, which required as much as a 12-hour round-trip journey, often on rough roads. Being able to offer a more localized outlet for food distribution has improved service quality, increased efficiency and improved coverage.