CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Packing 2,750 Thanksgiving meals for people in need takes months of work behind the scenes. The work to provide Thanksgiving turkeys to Iowa families through Operation Give Birds starts in May.
Danielle Monthei, fundraising director for the Iowa Giving Crew and a Van Meter employee, said the size of the order requires early planning.
“We buy 5,000 cans of green beans and 5,000 cans of corn. So there’s just a lot of logistics to put that order in early,” Monthei said.
This year’s turkeys come from Fareway. The fixings come from HACAP, which is also the region’s food bank.
The Iowa Giving Crew raises money to help buy the food. Monthei said the money covers boxes and fuel for the trucks. She said the group tries to raise $90,000.
“So $40 feeds a family of four and we really focus on that,” Monthei said.
All of the food is brought to Van Meter’s warehouse in Cedar Rapids, where dozens of volunteers prepare each meal.
“We literally unpack all of that food and repackage it into personal meal kits in less than two hours,” Monthei said.
People can pick up their meals, or drivers deliver meals to pickup points.
Jim Rake, a volunteer truck driver and Van Meter delivery driver volunteers his time to help deliver the meals.
“All the meals are on pallets and then we have lift gates on the back of the trucks. We’re able to use the lift gate to get the pallet on there, get it down and take it to wherever they would like it,” Rake said.
Monthei said it’s an inspiring scene as volunteers pack the meals.
“The joy and the buzz in the warehouse of everyone putting it together. Then to see it come to fruition when you put the meal in the car, there’s nothing better,” Monthei said.
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Dining and Cooking