The 28th annual Spirit of Christmas Food Drive, sponsored by Brookshire Grocery Co. and the Bastrop Lions Club, began Wednesday, Nov. 18.
The food drive provides food for needy families in the Bastrop area at Christmas.
“We have always had tremendous community response to the food drive," said Sam Anderson, Brookshire Grocery Co.’s director of consumer and community relations. “This has grown into one of the largest privately sponsored charitable efforts in the region."
Many participating Brookshire’s and Super 1 Foods stores are selling $1 and $5 coupons and $5 and $7 grab-bags full of non-perishable food items, and all proceeds from these sales will go to the food drive effort.
Area residents may make donations by placing non-perishable items in designated bins located in the stores.
People are asked not to donate homemade goods or items in glass jars. Bulk items, such as flour, sugar and corn meal, should be donated in smaller sizes to allow for more variety in the boxes given to the recipients.
In addition to the public food donations, each family will receive at least one roasting hen from BGC. Members of the participating service organization will sort, package and distribute the food to the families before Christmas.
All food collected in the area will be distributed in the Bastrop area. Families assisted by the Spirit of Christmas Food Drive are selected by local relief organizations or government agencies according to need.
The Spirit of Christmas Food Drive began in 1982, when 92 families in Tyler, Texas, received assistance.
