The Holladay Rotary Club is honoring Jim Brass, founder of the Murray Children's Pantry, at a celebration Tuesday, Oct. 6, at Cottonwood Country Club.

Brass, a former four-term Murray City Council member, started handing out summer food boxes to schoolchildren six years ago. The effort grew into an all-volunteer pantry that served nearly 200,000 meals in 2025, according to the Holladay Rotary Club's event listing.

"We're dealing with your neighbors, people who never thought they'd need help," Brass said.

The pantry's growth has been steep. Brass told KSL in October 2025 that volunteers handed out roughly 35,000 meals in the first year. That rose to 50,000 in the second year, 70,000 in the third and about 112,000 in 2024.

Each family box is packed with 84 meals, enough to feed a family of four for a week. The pantry also provides hygiene products, clothing and birthday cake kits for children, according to KSL.

No one is turned away.

Brass told KJZZ on Oct. 31, 2025, that the pantry requires no proof, no ID and no paperwork. He said 98% of donations go directly toward food, with the rest covering utilities and insurance.

The pantry began as a summer program for children who lost access to school lunches. When COVID-19 hit, Brass and his wife, Jennifer, kept it open year-round. It operates out of Murray Baptist Church at 170 East 5770 South in Murray.

Brass served on the Murray City Council from 2004 to 2020, representing District 3. He moved to Utah from New Jersey in the 1970s and settled in Murray in 1987. In January, Murray honored Jim and Jennifer Brass with the city's first Love Murray Citizen Award at the State of the City event, according to a Murray City newsletter.

The Holladay Rotary celebration runs from 6 to 9 p.m. at Cottonwood Country Club, 1780 Lake Drive in Holladay. Tickets are $70 per person.

The Murray Children's Pantry is open Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon and the third Saturday of each month, or by appointment. Residents can call (385) 743-8808 or visit murraychildrenspantry.org.