The Caring Place (TCP) brings back Hunger Free Holidays Food Drives with a twist in 2023. This year, the community-wide seasonal drive begins one month early, in September. However, the most significant change in the campaign is the request to the community to donate specific items each month, September through December. A wish list, released each month, will inform the community about what items are most needed during the Food Drive. Hunger Free Holidays begins with a September request for breakfast items like cereal, oatmeal and grits.
Host Food & Necessity Drives for Hunger Free Holidays
The Caring Place September 2023 Wish List
September: Breakfast Items
cereal, oatmeal, grits
October: To Be Announced October 1
November: To Be Announced November 1
December: To Be Announced December 1
Targeted drives help The Caring Place use its resources wisely and ensure the community has a wide selection in the Food Pantry. Please check the monthly giving guide this holiday season when planning Food & Necessity Drives. Items may be delivered to the Donations drive through at 2000 Railroad Avenue, Mon-Sat, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. If you need the items weighed for a group Food Drive, you can park in the reserved parking spot on the north side of the building and a Food Pantry team member will assist you in unloading and weighing. This reserved parking spot is available Mon, Tues, Wed and Fri, at 2000 Railroad Avenue, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Due to the record number of people utilizing the Food Pantry, The Caring Place cannot deliver or pick up the large blue barrels for collection during this year’s campaign. However, you can borrow a barrel if you provide pick up and delivery. You may also make monetary gifts at caringplacetx.org/donate to help The Caring Place purchase the food the organization needs most.
TCP’s Director of Food Programs & Facilities, David Earl, explains, “Most of what The Caring Place purchases for the Food Pantry is from the Central Texas Food Bank or other discounted sources. However, there are a few items that we consistently have difficulty purchasing. We will evaluate our needs each month of Hunger Free Holidays and release a monthly wish list. These items are critical food and hygiene items for families in our community. You can help your neighbors by collecting, donating and delivering these items in the designated month.” David adds, “Due to limited space and time for sorting, we think it’s important to focus on one type of item each month. It will help us supplement the Food Pantry with critical items in this busy time while keeping sorting time to a minimum.”
In July of this year, The Caring Place surpassed 2022’s total number of households helped and there has been a notable increase in requests for financial assistance. This observation explains the influx of families visiting the Food Pantry to help stretch their budgets. David shares, “The Food Pantry stays incredibly busy meeting the community’s needs. We have broken all previous records for the number of neighbors served this summer. We look forward to utilizing this new model of taking in food and other pantry donations through the holiday season. We greatly appreciate the community's understanding as we update our traditional campaign. You will help us feed more people this year and allow us to keep wait times to a minimum.”
For additional information about Food Drives, call 512–943-0738 or email fooddonations@caringplactex.org.
ABOUT THE CARING PLACE
Since 1985, The Caring Place has provided for the basic human needs of all people in our community in a welcoming, respectful and caring way. The Caring Place is a community-based, community-supported, and community-serving organization in Georgetown, Texas. The Caring Place service area includes Georgetown, Andice, Bartlett, Florence, Granger, Jarrell, Jonah, Schwertner, Walburg, Weir, and the portion of Hutto within GISD. Learn more at caringplacetx.org.
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