Melo Hogan & Kaitlyn Marty are back to talk about the 7th Annual Community Dinner Kits! Each year, we collect funds that helps us provide families a special dinner. We are so grateful for our annual donors and volunteers. We served over 85 families last year and our goal is to serve as many families as we can for this year.
HOW THIS STARTED
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 -- multiple times per week! 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.
Melo constantly inspires us with her selflessness, so when we heard about the dinner kits we knew we wanted to help! Our Abode family has committed to providing at least 24 dinner kits this Thanksgiving.
WHAT’S IN A DINNER KIT?
A dinner kit includes:
1 turkey, 2 boxes of stuffing, 1 carton of chicken stock, 1 container of French fried onions, 2 cans of green beans, a bags of potatoes, 1 large can of cream of mushroom soup, 2 cans of cranberry sauce, 1 bottle of sparkling cider and 1 pumpkin pie.
GET INVOLVED
In 2020 we served over 85 families; this year our goal is to deliver 150 dinners and raise enough funds to serve 200 families! 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. 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. 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 20th.
2. GO SHOPPING
Whether you have a small car or SUV, we’re looking for volunteers who can do some shopping for the following items: boxes of stuffing and potatoes, cans of green beans, cranberry sauce, chicken stock, cream of mushroom soup and more 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! Donations can be made via Venmo at communitydinnerkits253 🥧
QUESTIONS?
If you’re able to help, by donating funds or volunteering - direct message or text Melo Hogan at 253-304-8058 or Kaitlyn Marty at 253.678.2449 🍴
Venmo at communitydinnerkits253 🥧
Thank you for supporting this worthy cause!
