Junior Auxiliary of Columbus ushered in the season of giving by providing Thanksgiving meals and Christmas stockings to local families in Lowndes County.

This year, 64 Thanksgiving meals and 89 Christmas stockings were delivered to local families as part of the food backpack program Feed to Succeed.

Throughout the school year, this project works with the Mississippi Food Network to supply food to local children who are dependent on the school system for supplemental nutrition and who are referred to the program due to food insecurity on the weekends.

Over the last several weeks, Feed to Succeed committee members shopped for and assembled the meals and stockings in preparation for delivery to local elementary and middle schools. Thanksgiving meals included canned ham, gravy mix, macaroni and cheese, corn, green beans, mashed potatoes, rolls and pie. This year’s festive Christmas stockings held holiday snacks, activity books, hygiene items and a kid favorite, slime. The meal kits and stockings were delivered to local schools just in time for students to take home for the Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks.

When asked about the project’s positive impact, Feed to Succeed Chair Anna Chappell said, “Providing food security allows kids to focus on being kids. With hunger being less of a distraction, they are free to learn, play and grow. The holidays should be a time for families to spend together and not have to worry about having enough to eat. We hope the holidays are filled with joy for these deserving families and a smile is brought to each of their faces when they gather together for food and fun.”

Since August, Junior Auxiliary of Columbus active members have delivered 870 backpack meals to local children. For more information, visit jacolumbus.org/feed-to-succeed.