Community donations and volunteers kick off food bank holiday meal distribution

The Superstition Community Food Bank began its holiday meal distribution on Saturday, November 14, with a huge helping of community spirit. Five hundred holiday meals were distributed with the aid of some 20 volunteers, 8 National Guard members, and several staff members. The food bank set a goal to provide 2,000-holiday meals throughout the Thanksgiving and Christmas/Hanukkah season. Executive Director Myra Garcia says, “We expect to meet our goal, thanks to so many people who have helped in so many ways.” Her special thanks list includes:

Superstition Mountain Golf & Country Club, donating $30,000 for the purchase of turkeys, hams, and fixings; Compadres Group dba Filiberto’s Mexican Food, donating 40 breakfast burritos and chips to feed the volunteers on 11/14; Desert Trailer Systems, donating an 18-wheeler refer truck to hold 500 frozen turkeys; Dennis and Wendy Laycock, donating pickup and delivery of food products to the food bank; Walmart in Apache Junction and Mesa for offering a discounted price for purchasing frozen turkeys; AZ National Guard for helping distribute food boxes; and Apache Junction Auxiliary Police Officers for directing traffic throughout the event.

In addition, the food bank’s holiday “Snack Bag” program for kids received 1,000 children’s books from Kids Need To Read, a national nonprofit promoting childhood literacy, and 75 educational toys and materials from First Things First, a nonprofit supporting the health and wellbeing of children aged 5 and under.

Donations of food and/or funds may be made online or in person. Visit www.superstitionfoodbank.org; drop by Monday – Friday between 11:30 -2:30; or mail your check to Superstition Community Food Bank, 575 N. Idaho Road, Suite #701, Apache Junction, AZ 85119.