Key-Points
Free Christmas Dinners Near You
Are There Food and Toy Baskets Available?
How Can I Help Volunteer This Season?
Thank you, America, for helping us connect families to help they need this past Thanksgiving season. We're excited to offer a similar resource to families that are in need this Christmas holiday season.
We understand the struggles families face, especially in today's economy. A few our own crew members were in homeless situations long before protecting others from crime scene, suicide, and trauma cleanup situations. We are here to help with these services but we're always looking for ways to connect the community to assistance they might need as well.
Which Food Banks Are Open On Christmas?
You may be surprised to hear that food banks and food drives run, even through Christmas. If you're looking for free food baskets and even free turkeys, we're happy to connect you with where your family can go in all 50 states of the USA. If you're in the position to volunteer or help, reach out to these organizations to see how you can get involved!
All organizations on this list are hosting charitable Christmas toy and food programs through the 2021 season.
Huntsville, Alabama
Downtown Rescue Mission - Huntsville
1400 Evangel Drive
Huntsville, Alabama 35811
Website
Anchorage, Alaska
The Salvation Army - Anchorage
143 East 9th Avenue,
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
Website
Little Rock, Arkansas
Helping Hand of Greater Little Rock
1601 Marshall St.
Little Rock, AR 72202
Website
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix Children's Project
1047 N. 28th Street,
Phoenix, AZ 85008
Website
Los Angeles, California
One Voice
1228 15th Street
Suite C
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Website
Denver, Colorado
Operation Santa Claus
12257 S. Wadsworth Blvd.
Denver, CO 80125
Website
Bridgeport, Conneticut
Bridgeport Rescue Mission
1088 Fairfield Ave.
Bridgeport, CT 06605
Website
Wilmington, Delaware
The Salvation Army - Wilmington Corps
400 N Orange Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Website
Washington D.C./District of Columbia
The Salvation Army Sherman Avenue Corps and Community Center
3335 Sherman Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20010
Jacksonville, Florida
BEAM
850 6th Avenue S.,
Ste 400
Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250
Holiday Toy Drive - Food Assistance
Atlanta, Georgia
The Salvation Army - Metro Atlanta Command
405 Lovejoy St NW,
Atlanta, GA 30313
Website
Honolulu, Hawaii
Giving Machine at Pearlridge Center
98-1005 Moanalua Rd.,
Aiea, Hawaii
Event Page
Available until Jan 1st
Boise City, Idaho
St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry - Overland
3209 W Overland Rd,
Boise, ID 83705
Website
Chicago, Illinois
Chicago Midway Salvation Army
5036 West 47th Street,
Chicago, Illinois 60638
Website
Indianapolis, Indiana
United Way of Central Indiana
2955 North Meridian Street,
Suite 300
Indianapolis, IN 46208
Website
Des Moines, Iowa
Families Forward
1203 Hartford Avenue
Des Moines, Iowa 50315
Website
Wichita, Kansas
HumanKind Ministries - Operation Holiday
829 N Market St.
Wichita, KS 67214
Website
Louisville/Jefferson County, Kentucky
Association of Community Ministries
Various Participating Churches throughout the Louisville area, please see Website
New Orleans, Louisana
Giving Hope Foundation NOLA
13040 I-10 Service Rd,
New Orleans, LA 70128
Website
Portland, Maine
Maine Children's Home
111 W Burnside St,
Portland, ME 97209
Website
Baltimore, Maryland
First Baptist Church of Guilford
7504 Oakland Mills Rd,
Columbia, MD 21046
Website
Boston, Massachusetts
United Way - Massachusetts Bay
9 Channel Center Street, Suite 500, Boston, MA 02210
Website
Detroit, Michigan
United Way for Southeastern Michigan
3011 W. Grand Blvd.,
Suite 500,
Detroit, MI 48202
Website
Minneapolis, Minnesota
The Salvation Army Minneapolis Central Worship & Service Center
2727 Central Ave NE,
Minneapolis, MN 55418
Website
Jackson, Mississippi
The Good Samaritan Center
114 Millsaps Ave,
Jackson, MS 39202
Website
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas & Western Missouri Salvation Army
3637 Broadway Blvd,
Kansas City, Missouri 64111
Website
Billings, Montana
Family Service
3927-3931 1st Ave. S.
Billings, Montana 59101
Website
Omaha, Nebraska
Heartland Hope Mission
15555 2021 U St.
Omaha, NE
Website
Las Vegas, Nevada
Nevada 211
Various Locations, Please See Website
Manchester, New Hampshire
Families in Transition
122 Market Street,
Manchester, NH 03101
Website
Newark, New Jersey
NJ 211
Various Locations, Please See Website
Albuquerque, New Mexico
The Salvation Army Albuquerque Temple Corps
501 Broadway Blvd SE,
Albuquerque, NM 87102
Website
New York, New York
Church of St. Paul & St. Andrew
263 West 86th Street
Manhattan, NY
Website
Charlotte, North Carolina
Love Fellowship Church
2817 West Sugar Creek Road
Charlotte, NC 28262
Website
Fargo, North Dakota
Salvation Army
304 Roberts St
Fargo, ND 58102
Website
Columbus, Ohio
First Community Church
3777 Dublin Rd
Columbus, OH 43221
Website
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Skyline Urban Ministry
500 SE 15th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73129
Website
Portland, Oregon
The Salvation Army - Gresham Corps
473 SE 194th Ave
Portland, OR 97233
Website
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Chosen 300 Ministries
1116 Spring Garden Street
Philadelphia, PA 19123
Website
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence Rescue Mission
627 Cranston St
Providence, RI 02907
Website
Charleston, South Carolina
The Salvation Army - Charleston
2135 Ashley River Rd
Charleston, SC 29407
Website
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
The Salvation Army Sioux Falls
800 N. Cliff Avenue
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Website - Read More & Apply
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville Rescue Mission
639 Lafayette St,
Nashville, TN 37203
Website
Houston, Texas
Kinsmen Lutheran Church
12100 Champion Forest Dr,
Houston, TX 77066
Website
Salt Lake City, Utah
Rescue Mission of Salt Lake
463 400 S,
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Website
Burlington, Vermont
The Salvation Army Burlington
64 Main Street
Burlington, VT 05401
Website
Virginia Beach, Virginia
The Salvation Army Hampton Roads Area Command
5525 Raby Rd
Norfolk, VA 23502
Website
Seattle, Washington
University District Food Bank
5017 Roosevelt Way NE
Seattle, Washington 98105
Website - Other Local Participators
Charleston, West Virginia
United Way of Central West Virginia
1 United Way Square,
Charleston, WV 25301
Website
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Wisconsin Citadel Corps
4129 W. Villard Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53209
Website
Your local Salvation Army or church may provide free Christmas turkeys or similar meals.
For those towns and counties not covered in this article, please contact your local Salvation Army or churches. Most are available to families in need during the holidays. Searching for Christmas meals and toy baskets near you might also be resourceful.
What kind of Christmas basket can me and my child expect?
Both food and toy baskets vary. Food baskets might be instant meals, while others may contain non perishable ingredients. It's impossible to predict what your's will be, but you can expect a delicious lunch or dinner meal. Low income families have received the following:
- Free Christmas turkeys, sausages, ham, and chicken
- Side meals such as assorted vegetables or mashed potatoes
- Meat chilis, or chicken and vegetable soups
Most charities require toy donations that help with your child's eye-hand coordination and other developmental skills. As a parent, you can be assured that your baskets will be filled with toys that are special and make a lasting impression.
Volunteering and Donating to Families This Christmas
Helping others during the holidays is needed more than ever. If you’re in the position to donate supplies or anything really, you can donate food, toys, clothes, and other supplies to your local church, Salvation Army, or soup kitchen.
Volunteer help is especially needed at all organization and local charities listed above. You can also search for more holiday food drives near you, mostly all are guaranteed to need the assistance through Christmas. Local high schools might also be looking for volunteer help through their giving back programs, so you should also try reaching out to them.
Only donate canned, boxed, or instant meals: leftovers and cooked meals are perishable and cannot be used.
What Kind of Food Can I Donate to Families?
Foods of all types have been donated through Christmas and the holidays.
- Mashed potatoes/potatoes
- Gravy
- Macaroni/pasta
- Vegetables (preferably canned)
- Cookies
Making the Difference
As crime scene cleaners, we hope you'll join us in our mission to better the world one community at a time. Know that if you are in the position to help out, big or small, you'll be making a huge difference in someone's life!
Please share this article to reach even more in need!
Share this Post