Community Food Basket-Idaho Falls is gearing up for the holiday season with a couple of events. Thanksgiving is Nov. 26, and Community Food Basket with Idaho Soup Kitchen is providing a free meal for those in need. People can stop by and pick up a gourmet meal between noon and 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving. The meal can be picked up to-go at 301 South Boulevard in Idaho Falls.
Ariel Jackson, the executive director for Community Food Basket-Idaho Falls, said the gourmet meal will be cooked by Deana Brower, the owner and operator of Diablas Kitchen in Idaho Falls.
“Thanksgiving just ties it all together. We provide a meal, we make sure people are fed, we make sure people are together and happy,” Jackson said.
Community Food Basket-Idaho Falls is also raising funds through its gingerbread house competition. Families, individuals and corporations can build a gingerbread house and enter their creation into the competition for a chance to win a prize. The gingerbread houses will be judged by Mrs. Idaho America, Mrs. Bonneville County and Mrs. Bingham County. The competition ends Dec. 13.
“We really wanted to be able to do a fundraiser this year [because] we are in the middle of purchasing our warehouse as a legacy gift for the community,” Jackson said.
All proceeds from the gingerbread house competition will go toward purchasing the Community Food Basket-Idaho Falls warehouse.
Entry fees are $25 for an individual, $30 for families and groups and $50 for corporations. Information about the competition and how to enter are available online at communityfoodbasketidahofalls.org.