PARK CITY — Ask most people about Park City and they'll tell you about its ski resorts, night life and the arts.

Ask Jenny Mauer, director of programs and services for the Christian Center of Park City, and she'll tell you about a less visible aspect of resort town life: people who work multiple jobs yet struggle to pay for life's necessities.

Many turn to the nonprofit Christian Center's food pantries in Summit and Wasatch counties, which provided some 800,000 pounds of food to people in 2014, Mauer said.

"The need is huge," she said. "We serve a lot of seasonal workers and a lot of the working class folks that are working two, three jobs at the resort. The cost of living is so high, the food pantry definitely helps supplement people’s budgets because they can come here and get free food."

The center's food pantries and thrift stores have become a central giving point for churches and community organizations in Summit and Wasatch counties, said Rep. Kraig Powell, R-Heber City, whose legislative district straddles the county line.

"I really think there are some families that would have a really tough go of it without these nonprofit services that are being provided," Powell said.

On Sept. 12, the Christian Center will host the fourth annual Hike for Hunger, a community gathering intended not only to raise awareness about food insecurity locally and globally but also to thank the host of community partners and volunteers that contribute to the center's humanitarian efforts. Hike for Hunger began as "a fun event that people could come to and we could raise awareness about hunger without it being a sit-down presentation," said Mauer.

This year's events are based at Deer Valley's Snow Park Lodge, where attendees can ride the Silver Lake Express chairlift to two trails. Participants can hike 3 miles back to the lodge for food and activities or hike a separate 2½-mile loop and ride the chairlift back to the starting point.

Participants can also opt for a "joy ride," simply taking the chairlift up and down the hill.

"We know that Park City can be a really competitive town, so we wanted to have an event that’s more family friendly, noncompetitive and for people of all abilities and walks of life to feel comfortable coming to," Mauer said.

Activities include bounce houses and face painting for children and lawn games such as corn hole and ladder ball. Live music will be provided by Bonanza Town. Food prepared by Deer Valley Resort will be served.

The Christian Center assists with basic needs through its food pantries and thrift stores in Park City and Heber City. It also offers counseling services and spiritual care. The center, founded about 15 years ago, works to raise awareness about issues affecting people in need.

"I think it’s starting to get more attention and Hike for Hunger is our way to do that," Mauer said. "We don’t want people to be uncomfortable by it because it can be a sensitive subject. There’s a lot of people who still don’t even believe we serve as many people as we do here so that’s why we’re making it more of a family fun day where you can come and just enjoy Park City with your family and at the same time, we’re just trying to bring awareness about the issue."

Instead of paying a registration fee, Hike for Hunger participants can, instead, bring a bag of food as a donation.

"We have Girl Scout troops and different student bodies that are going to do that option. It’s a little more impactful that way," Mauer said.

According to Feeding America, 18.8 percent of children in Wasatch County experience food insecurity. In Summit County, the rate is 17 percent.

The issue of hunger is real, "especially for the those in poverty in our counties and there certainly are many of them. It’s an ongoing concern that we have for affordable housing," Powell said.

These issues are hardly unique to the Park City area, Mauer said.

"If you look at any resort town, Vail, Tahoe, Jackson Hole, everyone has the same issues," she said. "You have a high cost of living, a lot of tourists, a really small year-round population and then an entire workforce, even working two jobs, that can barely afford the cost of living. It’s definitely not unique to Park City. I think we just need to wake up a little bit."

That's one of the goals for Hike for Hunger, a festive community event to lift up the issue and celebrate the community's contributions to the center's programs.

"It’s going to be really fun," Mauer said. "We always joke, you don’t even have to hike if you don’t want to."

If you go ...

What: Hike for Hunger 2015

When: Saturday, Sept. 12, 1-6 p.m.

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Where: Snow Park Lodge at Deer Valley, 2250 Deer Valley Drive South, Park City

Web: ccofpc.org/hike-for-hunger-2015

Tickets: $10-$25 for individuals, $50 for groups of up to five people

Email: marjorie@deseretnews.com

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