Holiday Meal Essentials Being Given Away in Eastern Iowa

This isn't the first time this week we've heard of an Iowa organization helping families in need this holiday season. Five days ago we learned about the Iowa Giving Crew that prepared for weeks as they are distributing 1,200 meals to Iowans for Thanksgiving. Here's another Iowa organization giving back for the holidays this year.

According to KCRG, the CommUnity Food Bank, located in Iowa City, is planning to provide all of the essentials you would associate with a holiday meal, to 1,500 families, this holiday season. This fundraiser is part of Project Holiday and groceries will be provided for families to be able to make their own home-cooked holiday meals.

Krystal Kabela is the CommUnity Food Bank Manager and she mentioned in a press release, they will not require prior registration to receive a meal. According to KCRG, she said

The hope is that eliminating registration will increase the accessibility of Project Holiday and provide meals for more local families. Due to rising food costs, we saw a 36% increase in people receiving food this quarter compared to the same timeframe last year.

What I love about this project from the CommUnity Food Bank is it's giving families a chance to make memories by making their own meals this holiday season. My family spends time together every year cooking and cleaning up after holiday meals. I've been doing the dishes with my dad after every Thanksgiving and Christmas since I was about 10.

Being able to teach your kids how to make their own holiday meals seems like a great way for families to spend time rather than heating up a boxed meal in the microwave. Your son or daughter might find a love for cooking after preparing a holiday meal with the family. Kids can look back and say "remember that time we made our own food for Christmas" and I think that's pretty special.

According to KCRG, food distribution for Project Holiday will be from December 12-17. This will take place at the CommUnity Food Pantry in Iowa City. If you would like a meal, want to help volunteer, or donate to the CommUnity Food Distribution project, you can visit Built By Community.

You're going to see this a lot in the next month and a half but there is no better time of the year to count your blessings and remember there are plenty of Iowa families who are less fortunate than you and I. If you are able to help volunteer or donate, it will go a long way toward helping those who are less fortunate.