The Salvation Army Monterey Peninsula Corps is helping families across Monterey County celebrate the holidays by distributing 1,500 hams to local families and community service organizations in the days leading up to Christmas.
Thanks to generous community support, more than $50,800 has been raised so far this holiday season to purchase turkeys and hams for families in need. Holiday hams were distributed on December 18 and 19 to families and partner organizations throughout Monterey County, including Monterey, Salinas, and Watsonville.
“Many of our friends and neighbors are feeling financially insecure this holiday season,” said Captain Ashley Koebel, Director at The Salvation Army Monterey Peninsula Corps. “By providing a key part of a traditional Christmas meal, we hope families can enjoy this special time of year with a little less stress.”
Much of the funding came from donations made by patrons of the Shake family’s Monterey restaurants, including The Old Fisherman’s Grotto and The Fish Hopper, who were invited to contribute during November. As a result of that community generosity, The Salvation Army was able to distribute approximately 1,000 turkeys at Thanksgiving and now 1,500 hams for Christmas.
“We are incredibly grateful to our community for wanting to help make someone’s holiday brighter,” said Sabu J.R. Shake. Chris Shake added, “We are proud to support The Salvation Army and the important work they do, especially during the holiday season.”
Beyond the holidays, The Salvation Army Monterey Peninsula Corps provides food assistance year-round, including food boxes and meal delivery services for seniors.
“Food insecurity continues to grow across our region,” Koebel added. “Thanks to the generosity of our donors and the dedication of our volunteers, we’re able to continue supporting families when they need it most.”
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