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Holiday assistance is available to income-eligible West Des Moines residents.

Applications for December 2025 food assistance and Giftland Program (for children up to age 18) will follow the deadlines listed in the Hours below.

For Christmas 2025:

Project Santa's Toy and Joy Shop Program empowers low-income parents to have gifts for their children on Christmas or their holiday of choice. Provides 3-5 new toys for each child, books, school supplies, and coloring books. Serves children ages 0-12.

For Christmas 2025:

To sign up for Project Santa, beginning December 1st through December 23rd, community members can visit the Timberlake Outreach Center or Council Bluffs Outreach Center (on the days they are open) and sign up their children (aged newborn to 12) to receive new toys for Christmas. This should be done during visitors' once-a-month shopping time. Please note that each child can only be signed up for this program once.

To sign children up for Christmas gifts, applicants must bring:

- A current piece of mail

- Social Security cards for each child (ages newborn to 12 years old) to sign up to receive gifts

- A document verifying the children's ages (such as a birth certificate or Medicaid card)

To Shop for Toys: After sign-up, applicants will be given a confirmation sheet with an appointment day and time to come and shop for toys for the children who were signed up. Applicants will need to bring that confirmation sheet with them when shopping for toys.

The Toy N Joy shop is located on the main campus by the airport in Omaha, and will be open (by appointment only) from 10 am-6 pm on December 18th, 19th, 20th, 22nd, and 23rd. Parents cannot bring children with them to the Toy N Joy Shop.

Holiday baskets are offered seasonally, provided through local community support. Programs vary by location; call for information.

Categories

Thanksgiving Programs
Christmas Programs

2025

Provides toys to those in need during the Christmas holidays. Program available for infants through age 12.

Visit the Angel Tree website for the application to sign up beginning in October. Dates change annually.

2025

Provides seasonal meal boxes to families in need for the holidays. We pack and distribute 350 boxes in November for our Turkey Time Together event, and 350 in December for our Family! Feast! These boxes are available by signing up. Information will be provided on the website when availability begins.

Turkey Time Together Event - Closed

December Family Feast - Registration will be available through the Holiday Food Box Collaborative form from November 17, 2025 to November 30, 2025 or until all 500 slots are filled.

Register here: http://bit.ly/HFBRegister

2025

Christmas Eve Day offering a normal breakfast 7 am-9 am, and our normal lunch 11:30 am-12:30 pm. Supper is not served on Wednesdays. Christmas Eve is a Wednesday, and as such, supper will not be served.

Closed Christmas Day.

For Christmas 2025:

Offers a holiday toy distribution program and food vouchers.

In-person Christmas Assistance sign-ups for Toy Shop will be taking place at the Salvation Army on the following days and times in 2025:

- Tue, Nov 4 -- 9 am-3 pm

- Wed, Nov 5 -- 9 am-3 pm

- Thu, Nov 6 -- 9 am-3 pm

- Fri, Nov 7 -- 9 am-3 pm

An appointment is not required. Applicant must bring a valid Pottawattamie County ID, ID for all children in the household with printed birth date, and proof of Pottawattamie County residence (lease, utility bill, etc.).

Online applications can be completed at www.saangeltree.org

Only open to Food Pantry guests that received services between Jan-Oct 2025!

Each child will receive a minimum of 1 toy and stocking stuffer. Children must be 18 or younger to participate. Children do not need to be present while registering or during pick up. Toys are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Each child may only receive toys once. This is a Toys for Tots event.

Pre-registration is required. Registrants must come into the Bidwell Pantry to sign up for the Holiday Toy Pantry. Registration is between 10 am-4 pm Monday through Friday from November 1, 2025 through November 30, 2025 OR until the event is full.

Provides gifts and clothing for the Christmas season to children of eligible households in Hancock, Henderson, and McDonough counties.

For Christmas 2025:

Due to a high number of applications received in a short time, WIRC's Project Santa program has paused applications for the 2025 season (as of 10/13/25).

A waitlist application is now available: https://wirpc.org/projectsanta. If spots open for the 2025 program, WIRC will consider households on the wait list in the order they applied.

Those who do not want to be put on the wait list are encouraged to explore other holiday programs in the area such as Toys for Tots, Angel Tree, or Shop with a Cop.

2025

Toys for Tots Nov 1st - Nov 30th through Bond of Unity (New Beginnings Discipleship Ministries). To qualify you only need to complete the form below. Please know that families are only permitted to register at 1 Toys for Tots location. Signing up at more than 1 Toys for Tots site can disqualify you from being able to receive any toys.

Toys will be available to be picked up at 530 NE Broadway (NE46th), Des Moines, IA on Friday, December 12th 5-7pm and Saturday, December 13th 10am - 2pm.

Please select the time and date that works best for you below. Please complete the form using your most current information. In order to be able to serve more families we will not offer a "shopping" opportunity. Toys are prepacked based on the information given below and will be given out in a drive-thru format.

2025 Toys for Tots Registration Form

(This form is specifically for the Toys for Tots program which is not affiliated with "adopt a family" programs at other organizations. Specific toys cannot be requested as we have no control over what is being donated by generous members of the general public.)

For Christmas 2025:

Provides a holiday a food basket and gifts for children.

Starting Oct 1, 2025, and ending Nov 26, 2025, applications will be accepted by same-day appointment only. No applications accepted after Nov 26.

Applicants must bring proof of income for everyone in the household.

To sponsor a child or family or for more information, call Carmen Trevino at (308) 635-3089.

Provides food baskets at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.

Thanksgiving 2025: Dinner served 5:30 pm-6:30 pm.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2025: Lunch served 11:30 am-12:30 pm, dinner served 5:30 pm-6:30 pm.

Categories

Christmas Programs
Thanksgiving Programs
Easter Programs

Matches low-income families with organizations that want to adopt a family for Christmas. Families provide a list of the wants/needs of the children. Registration runs November 3-7, 2025, from 10 am-4 pm and on November 8, 2025, from 10 am-2 pm.

During the month preceeding Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, families can receive a turkey (Thanksgiving/Christmas) or turkey or ham (Christmas/Easter). One such item per family per holiday (exceptions might be made for large families).

Categories

Easter Programs
Christmas Programs
Thanksgiving Programs

Provides weekly backpacks of non-perishable food items to students during the school year, delivered directly to their homes. During the summer, students are provided monthly boxes of fresh produce and food for meals. Also, provides Thanksgiving and Christmas meals.

Categories

Summer Food Service Programs
Christmas Programs
Thanksgiving Programs
Brown Bag Food Programs

Gifts and a food voucher are available to families with children ages 15 and younger and to seniors age 60+. Food vouchers are available for families with children ages 16+ and to adults without children.

For 2025 Christmas Assistance:

Registration will be done in person. Applicants must sign up at the location matching their zip code.

OMAHA CITADEL - 3738 Cuming Street:

- Monday, November 10 (9 am-12 pm and 1 pm-4 pm)

- Tuesday, November 11 (9 am-12 pm and 1 pm-7 pm)

- Wednesday, November 12 (9 am-12 pm)

- Zip codes: 68007, 68002, 68064, 68110, 68111, 68112, 68116, 68122, 68134, 68152, 68102, 68131, 68114, 68130, 68135, 68010, 68144, 68104, 68132, 68142, 68118, 68154, 68178, 68164.

KROC CENTER - 2825 Y Street:

- Thursday, November 6 (9 am-12 pm and 1 pm-4 pm)

- Friday, November 7 (9 am-12 pm and 1 pm-4 pm)

- Saturday, November 8 (9 am-1 pm)

- Zip codes; 68005, 68028, 68046, 68059, 68107, 68127, 68128, 68133, 68136, 68113, 68147, 68117, 68157, 68123, 68106, 68137, 68105, 68108, 68124, 68138.

NORTH CORPS - 2424 Pratt Street:

- Saturday, November 1 (9 am-1 pm)

- Monday, November 3 (9 am-12 pm and 1 pm-4 pm)

- Tuesday, November 4 (9 am-12 pm and 1 pm-4 pm)

- Zip codes: 68007, 68002, 68064, 68110, 68111, 68112, 68116, 68122, 68134, 68152.

Provides Christmas food baskets, as well as Christmas gifts for children.

Christmas 2025:

Online applications Wed, Oct 1, 2025 through Fri, Oct 31, 2025. Website: www.saangeltree.org

In-person appointments Oct 20 through Oct 31 (no Tuesdays). Call for questions or appointments.

Provides Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. Both meals are open to anyone in need.

Thanksgiving meal on Thanksgiving Day, 11 am-1 pm, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. Pre-registration is required. Registration will be taken on November 1st, 2025. Call the church office for details.

Christmas Day dinner on Christmas Day, 11 am-1 pm, Thursday, Dec 25, 2025. Pre-registration is required. Registration will open on December 1st, 2025. Call the church office for details.

This annual holiday event is free for children in foster care, adopted from foster care, kinship placement, relative placement and other children living in the foster household.

Registration is required and will close when full. Please visit website for more information regarding dates and registration forms. Winter Wonderland Holiday Celebration toy distribution Sunday, December 14th, 2025, from 10 am-12 pm and 1 pm-3 pm.

Event held at Hawkeye Downs Expo Hall, 4400 Sixth Street SW in Cedar Rapids. Each child must be registered online via the website, keep a lookout for dates. Register early as this event fills up quickly. To donate to the toy drive, the deadline is Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025. Drop off location is 6000 7th St SW in Cedar Rapids.

Provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day of the year. Special holiday meals are offered at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.

Breakfast Mon-Sun: 7:30 am, Lunch Mon-Sun: 11:30 am, Dinner Mon-Sun: 5 pm, at chapel.

Thanksgiving Meal Wednesday before Thanksgiving: 12 pm.

Christmas Meal Christmas Eve Day 12 pm.

Easter Meal Easter Sunday: 12 pm.

Categories

Christmas Programs
Thanksgiving Programs
Soup Kitchens
Congregate Meals/Nutrition Sites

Provides gifts to foster families by seeking donations or monetary donations used to purchase gifts, for children. Services include gift wrapping and delivering the gifts to the foster parents before Christmas day. Program may also provide gifts to adult residential clients. Will provide letter of thanks for donation for tax purposes.

Limited financial aid for emergency situations including utility deposits, rent, prescription medications, glasses, clothing, school supplies, holiday assistance, transportation, birth certificate retrieval, Iowa identification, books for GED testing, etc.

Categories

Christmas Programs
Utility Deposit Assistance
Rent Payment Assistance
Medical Expense Assistance
Transportation Expense Assistance
Records/Licenses/Permits Fee Payment Assistance
School Supplies
Assistive Technology Equipment Provision Options

THANKSGIVING: Offering Thanksgiving baskets to individuals that shop at the pantry during regular working hours starting November 10th, 2025, cannot guarantee on ham, turkey, chicken, assistance is first come first serve, no pre-registration required

CHRISTMAS: ** Agency is not sure if they will be offering food assistance for Christmas, call agency for information**

**Not offering a Christmas dinner this year 2025**

Provides a Christmas Eve dinner from 12 pm-2 pm to persons in need. Sign-up begin December 1 2024, and continues until the event is full. Please call the church or email Lu to register.

Delivery is available to ONLY Cedar Rapid residents who are housebound. Must provide address. Deliveries will be made on December 24, 2024, (11 am-1 pm) Call the church to register.