Local families partner with families in need to provide personalized holiday assistance, potentially including toys/gifts, and meals.

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 Information:

Offers Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day meals at Crossroads Mission Avenue. Meals start at 1 pm.

Holiday meals 2025 for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter are served at Bethel Mission's Hope Cafe (1310 6th Avenue).

Thanksgiving meals served at Hope Cafe on Thursday, November 27, 2025, from 12 pm-1 pm (no reservation required to eat at Hope Cafe). Thanksgiving orders for in-home meal delivery are from Nov 3rd - Nov 19th, 2025 at 4:30 pm or until capacity is reached. Call (515) 265-4277 or sign up at www.hopeiowa.org. Thanksgiving delivery to: Altoona, Ankeny, Bondurant, Booneville, Carlisle, Cumming, Clive, Dallas Center, Des Moines, Granger, Grimes, Hartford, Indianola, Johnston, Martinsdale, Norwalk, Pleasant Hill, Polk City, Prole, Urbandale, Van Meter, Waukee, West Des Moines, and Windsor Heights.

Christmas meal 2025 home delivery can be reserved by calling (515) 265-4277 or online at hopiowa.org. Orders will be taken form Dec 1st ,2025 - Dec 17th, 2025 at 4 pm or until full. Christmas meals are delivered to Altoona, Clive, Des Moines, Johnston, Pleasant Hill, Urbandale, West Des Moines and Windsor Heights.

Christmas can be enjoyed at Hope Cafe on Christmas day Thursday, Dec 25, 2025 from 12 pm-1 pm.

2025

Provides holiday foods shoppers can choose to cook a holiday meal. This is not a food basket or meal.

Groceries will be on a first-come, first served basis, December 15th-20st, 2025. There is no registration required.

Partners with Toys For Tots and Midwest Food Bank to provide toys and a Christmas food box for families/individuals in need.

Volunteers, community groups and local businesses donate materials, food, toys and skills for seasonal holiday projects for low-income families. Provides food packages and allowances to purchase clothes, shoes, coats, and household goods.

Projects vary annually and by county office. Community members may contact their county BVCA office for details about local holiday programs.

Provides holiday food assistance to those in need.

Thanksgiving 2025 bonus items will be offered during regular shopping hours to registered clients during the month of November.

Christmas 2025 assistance available with traditional Christmas Meal Box and Christmas Gifts for Kids to registered clients in December. December Blessings registration begins on Wednesday, October 1, 2025. Deadline ends on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.

Pickup is Friday, December 12, 2025

To qualify:

If client has used this pantry's services for the last three months and resides in the Waukee School District and has recently provided a proof of residency and identification for each person in their household, they may already be qualified; please complete an online application. If this is the first time applying for assistance or client's information in WayPoint Resources system is not current, client must bring required documents to the WayPoint Resources office during food pantry hours within 10 days of submitting an application.

If client already applied at another agency:

If client has been approved or expects to be approved with another agency for their holiday program, client will be disqualified from this program. This includes, but is not limited to, West Des Moines Human Services, Toys for Tots, Shop with a Cop, Angel Tree Programs and other food or gift giveaway programs.

**Applicants are not qualified for the program until identification for each person, and proof of residency is confirmed.

Once approved, applicants will receive an email confirmation with pick up instructions, including date and time. If applicant has not received an email confirmation, please contact WayPoint Resources at [email protected] or (515) 987-5523. Please bring a photo ID in order to receive dinner boxes and gifts.

If client cannot make the assigned date and time for pick up, another family member or friend can pick up on their behalf. Please call and let WayPoint Resources know who has permission to pick up items, or make other arrangements. If client does not pick up items or make other arrangements for pick-up, their items will be given to families on the waiting list. Failure to pick up may disqualify client's family from future 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.

Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets are distributed, as well as an Adopt a Family program.

2025 Signups will be available on the website October 11 through November 1, 2025.

Christmas Food Box with a complete family dinner and a toy for children 17 or under.

For Christmas 2024, applicants are encouraged to call or visit their local Salvation Army office for details.

Holiday Toy distribution and food vouchers.

Christmas 2025 dates to be determined.

For Christmas 2024, in-person Christmas Assistance sign-ups for Toy Shop will be taking place at the Salvation Army on the following days and times:

-- Wednesday, November 6th, 9 am-3 pm

-- Thursday, November 7th, 9 am-7 pm

-- Friday, November 8th, 1 pm-7 pm

-- Saturday, November 9th, 9 am-12 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.).

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

[For Thanksgiving 2023:

Applications for Thanksgiving Food Packages must be picked up and completed at local offices; call for dates. (Carroll County: must be returned by November 3rd; Calhoun County: must be returned by November 10th)]

[For Christmas 2023:

(Carroll County) Giving Tree/Toys for Tots forms are available at the Carroll Outreach Office starting October 17th. To be eligible, applicants must have primary custody of the children being signed up, must be a resident of Carroll County, have children ages 14 and under, and be on New Opportunities' programs. If applicant is approved, they will receive a letter specifying when unwrapped gifts may be picked up in December. Forms must be completed and returned to the Outreach Center on or before November 10th.]

Provides Christmas gifts and a food basket to Iowa County residents. Taking applications through Fri Nov 8, 2024.

Holiday Adoption program.

For Christmas 2025, the deadline to apply for Shelby County is December 1st.

For Monona County, deadline is December 5, 2025, and must be a client receiving services from LIHEAP. Call to make appointment for LIHEAP and then receive application for Holiday Adoption.

This program is especially designed to help families who are facing financial hardships and are unable to afford a Christmas dinner or new toys and warm clothing for their children. The Holiday Adoption Program hopes to address the needs of low-income children and families during the holidays and winter season.

2025 Information:

Offers Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day meals at Crossroads Mission Avenue. Meals start at 1 pm.

Provides a sit-down Thanksgiving meal to those in need on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2024, from 11 am-1 pm at the Community Center. emailing [email protected].

For more information or to request meal delivery: Contact Stacia or Jenny at [email protected].

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.

Christmas gifts to children whose parents are incarcerated. Camping and Sports Camps offered to children whose parents are incarcerated.

The program is active for Christmas 2025; the parent(s) in prison must register through their prison chaplain.

Holiday programs.

Holiday assistance programs vary by location and by funding available. Clients are encouraged to call their local office for details.

Offers a Toys for Tots sign up through the Church. Child must be 14 years old or under to participate. Can only sign up once for Toys for Tots. Sign up begins October 24, 2024 and stops December 6, 2024. Toy pick up is Dec 21, 2024, 9 am-8 pm.

**It's A Family Affair Event is the same day as the toy pick up. Event is open to anyone - see separate program listing for more details.

Offers a food pantry to those in need who live within the communities of Slater and Sheldahl. Food voucher given to be redeemed at Town and Country Market in Slater only.