Families in the Clearwater area were able to celebrate Thanksgiving a little bit easier because of the generosity of people and businesses in the community.

Early Monday morning, volunteers gathered at the Clearwater-Clear Lake Food Shelf to put together meal baskets for 75 area families. That number is lower than last year when there were 88 families served.

“We’re down a little bit this year,” said coordinator Karie Gohman.

Volunteers put a variety of items in supermarket boxes, which were donated by the Clearwater Legion Riders.

“It’s enough for a nice Thanksgiving meal with some extras for kids when they’re out of school for the rest of the week,” said Gohman.”

This year’s meal included muffin mix, stuffing, walnuts, cereal, rice, canned vegetables, cream of mushroom soup, fruit cocktail, pasta, sauce, biscuits, cream cheese, eggs, margarine, dried potatoes, a gallon of milk, pie, string cheese, fresh potatoes donated by the Kiffmeyers and a $15 meat voucher for Coborn’s.  

“The voucher is for people to purchase whatever meat they want instead of just the traditional turkey,” said Gohman. “And we have bakery items from Coborn’s and Kwik Trip. They’re our rescue partners.”

The food shelf was able to stretch its dollars with help from The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), a federal program that helps supplement the diets of low-income Americans by providing them with emergency food assistance at no cost.

“We were able to get a lot of items for little or nothing, which makes it easier on our budget and adds a little more to the baskets,” said Gohman.

Much of that food was collected throughout the summer and fall, helping to make a substantial Thanksgiving meal at a reasonable cost to the food shelf.

Gohman estimates the meal would probably cost over $75 if purchased by the families retail at the store.

“With the support from the community and TEFAP, and being able to purchase things from Second Harvest, our basket is less than $5, not including the $15 meat voucher,” she said. “Again, our community was very generous.” 

The baskets were handed out later Monday, and families also had a chance to sign up for the Christmas baskets, which will be given out Dec. 16.