Mayor Paula Dierenfeld has begun her journey of running 381 miles after the Johnston community responded in a tremendous way to her food pantry challenge. In December, the Mayor asked residents to donate bags of food or personal items, as well as monetary contributions, to the Johnston Partnership for a Healthy Community, the city's only food pantry. The Mayor promised to run one mile for every bag or $10 donated. By December 30, the city collected enough for 381 miles. The Mayor will run an average of eight miles per day and hopes to complete the 381 by President’s Day!
The Johnston Partnership for a Healthy Community is located at 5870 Merle Hay Road, Suite D. In a recent report to the city, the Partnership noted that in August 2017, 1,334 individuals received food from the pantry, topping the previous record by 40 percent. As of December 8, 2017, the Partnership served 512 individuals in 127 families in the month of December. They also noted that 7.4 percent of Johnston residents live in poverty, which is approximately 1,500 people. If you are interested in contributing or volunteering at the Partnership, please visit www.johnstonpartnership.org.