10th Annual Community Dinner Kits

Melo Hogan & Maia Liloc Rice are again leading the charge on our 10th Annual Community Dinner Kits! Each year, we collect funds that help us provide families with a special dinner. We are so grateful for our annual donors and volunteers. We aim to serve 200 families through Tacoma Public School’s McKinney Vento Program.

This year’s dinner kit includes:

1 frozen turkey

1 box of stuffing

2 cans of green beans

1 package of mashed potatoes

1 package of gravy

1 package crispy onions

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1 package of dinner rolls

2 cans of cranberry sauce

1 bottle of sparkling cider

1 seasonal pie

In 2023, we served over 200 families, this year our goal remains the same at 200 dinners. We are working with Tacoma School’s McKinney Vento program to identify families who would like a Dinner Kit. Want to get involved? Here are three easy ways you can help:

1. PICK UP OR PREP BOXES
Each Dinner Kit is delivered inside of a sturdy banana box. If you have time to wrap some boxes (and room in your home to store them) we’d sure appreciate your help! Boxes can be picked up at your local grocer, and then wrapped in plain brown paper. (Yes, we only use banana boxes - tops and bottoms!) We’ll have some extras if you’d like to pick them up and take them home to decorate! We just need the boxes delivered to us by assembly day, which is November 19th.

2. GO SHOPPING
Whether you have a small car or SUV, we’re looking for volunteers who can do some shopping for the fixings for all our dinner kits!

3. MAKE A MONETARY DONATION
We wouldn’t be able to meet our goal this year without our donors - no amount is too small! Our goal is $10,000 and donations can be made via Venmo at communitydinnerkits253 🥧

If you’re able to help, by donating funds or volunteering - direct message or text Melo Hogan at 253-304-8058 or Maia Liloc Rice at 253.545-1660 🍴

Venmo at communitydinnerkits253 🥧

If you follow Melo on Instagram (@melohogan.realtor) you’ll discover that this busy mom and businesswoman always makes time to help her neighbors. In addition to working as a full time Realtor, Melo and her husband Steve pick up food from grocery stores and deliver it to their local food bank. You’ll also see Melo and her family making sandwiches for the Rescue Mission, which was where the “dinner kits” started 7 years ago.

“I wanted my family and I to go to the Rescue Mission to volunteer serving meals, but they already had enough volunteers.” Melo & Steve decided they were going to find another way to help, and the first dinner kit was created. The second year they helped two families, the third year (with the help of lender partners and generous donors) she helped five families and last year, she was able to serve seven families.

Once the Abode crew heard about the dinner kits they knew they wanted to help & amplify the efforts the Hogan’s had started.