Traditions were made to stand the test of time and persevere, even in the most difficult of circumstances. This rings especially true for the Davis Food Co-op’s 35th Annual Holiday Meal!
A community-wide event held every Christmas Eve to provide a free and warm meal for as many as 700 people, the Co-op’s Annual Holiday Meal brings together a broad spectrum of people from those in our Homeless community, UC Davis Students, Co-op Owners and anyone else looking for some Holiday cheer and good food.
For many, this year’s meal is more important than ever and that is why it is so important to keep this tradition alive.
To ensure the safety of everyone involved, and to comply with current health guidelines, this year’s Holiday Meal will be a takeout-only option, instead of the traditional sit down gathering.
The Davis Food Co-op is offering this free takeout Holiday Meal on Thursday December 24th from 5-8pm at the Davis Veterans Memorial Center at 203 E 14th St in Davis. The meal is a traditional Holiday Meal with the option of turkey or a vegan bake, stuffing, mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans, cranberry sauce, and a dinner roll. There will also be multiple dessert items to choose from that are donated by members of the community. Any leftover food from the Holiday Meal will be promptly donated to the Yolo Food Bank. The Davis Food Co-op is also accepting clothing donations in store up until 12/23 to be available for anyone in need at the Holiday Meal. Any leftover clothing will be donated to HOPE at Davis, an organization of students at UC Davis that help provide resources for our Homeless population.
While the majority of this event will be coordinated and run by Davis Food Co-op employees, this event can only succeed because of the broad spectrum of people who support it. The Holiday Meal is also made possible by generous contributions from The City of Davis, The Davis Veterans Center, Sysco Foods, Putman Farms, Earl’s Organics, General Produce, Upper Crust Baking and others. Limited volunteer spots will also be available as needed to help run the event on the day of. As mentioned, the Co-op will also be accepting monetary, clothing and dessert donations from the public for the Holiday Meal.
Monetary donations can be made at the Co-op’s Eventbrite page or through a check sent to:
Davis Food Co-op
Attn: Vincent Marchese
620 G St
Davis, CA 95616
Clothing donations can be dropped off at the Co-op from 11/28 – 12/23. Information for volunteer sign ups and dessert donations will be available starting on Tuesday 12/8. Anybody that has questions about volunteering or donating can send an email to marketing@davisfood.coop or call Marketing Manager Vince Marchese at (530) 758-2667 ext. 152 for more information.
This free and festive dinner for the entire community is a remarkable Davis tradition and has become an important part of the Holiday celebrations of local people from all walks of life. Although this year’s meal will look different, one thing that will not change is the strength and ability of our community to pull together to provide a warm meal on Christmas Eve for all to enjoy.
[Excerpted from the Davis Food Co-op’s 35th Annual Holiday Meal page]
