United Way of the New River Valley is seeking individuals, companies and civic groups that are interested in making Christmas special for some families by participating in the organization’s Holiday Meal Box program.
United Way has teamed up with local partner agencies Montgomery County Emergency Assistance Program (MCEAP), Radford Emergency Assistance Program (REAP) and Floyd County Emergency Assistance Program (FCEAP). Together, the four agencies are working to provide local low-income families with holiday meal boxes filled with holiday dinner essentials for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.
“There is a lot of need in the New River Valley, which is especially visible during the holiday season,” said Sara Bohn, United Way’s executive director. “Hunger is an issue in our community that doesn’t simply go away or get solved by feeding a family once. Hunger is a perpetual need that requires a number of caring people to come together throughout the year to help our neighbors. The Holiday Meal Box program offered through the United Way serves as a small way to bless families who otherwise would have to go without food during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.”
In 2019, the United Way Holiday Meal Box efforts provided 794 individuals with a Thanksgiving or Christmas meal box. With partnerships and more community support, United Way aims to serve even more low-income families this year that have previously not been served by partnering programs. United Way anticipates that because of COVID-19 more people will need this program.
Donations can be dropped off at the United Way office in downtown Christiansburg at 111 West Main St.. Drop-off hours are Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
A holiday box will feed a family of four for about $35. The following items are needed for the gift boxes: gift cards for frozen turkeys, hams, canned veggies, canned hams, corn meal/corn muffin mix, yams, marshmallows, flour, stuffing mix, sugar, instant mashed potatoes, canned fruit, rice, Boxed dessert mixes, box macaroni and cheese, Jell-O, canned pumpkin, pudding mix and French’s fried onions.
Anyone who is in need or who knows of a family in need of a holiday meal box may contact one of the following partner agencies: the Montgomery County Emergency Assistance Program at (540) 382-6186, the Radford City Emergency Assistance Program at (540) 320-7460 and the Floyd County, Emergency Assistance Program at (540) 745-2102.