The Superstition Community Food Bank began its holiday meal distribution on Saturday, Nov. 14, with a huge helping of community spirit.

A total of 500 holiday meals were distributed with the aid of some 20 volunteers, eight National Guard members and several staff members, according to a release.

The food bank, 575 N. Idaho Road Suite No. 701 in Apache Junction, set a goal to provide 2,000 holiday meals throughout the Thanksgiving and Christmas/Hanukkah season.

“We expect to meet our goal, thanks to so many people who have helped in so many ways,” Executive Director Myra Garcia said in the release.

Her special thanks list includes: Superstition Mountain Golf & Country Club, donating $30,000 for the purchase of turkeys, hams and fixings; Compadres Group dba Filiberto’s Mexican Food, donating 40 breakfast burritos and chips to feed the volunteers on Nov. 14; Desert Trailer Systems, donating an 18-wheeler refrigerated truck to hold 500 frozen turkeys; Dennis and Wendy Laycock, donating pickup and delivery of food products to the food bank; Walmart in Apache Junction and Mesa for offering a discounted price for purchasing frozen turkeys; Arizona National Guard for helping distribute food boxes; and Apache Junction Auxiliary Police Officers for directing traffic throughout the event.

In addition, the food bank’s holiday “Snack Bag” program for kids received 1,000 children’s books from Kids Need To Read, a national nonprofit promoting childhood literacy, and 75 educational toys and materials from First Things First, a nonprofit supporting the health and wellbeing of children aged 5 and under.

Donations of food and/or funds may be made online or in person. Go to superstitionfoodbank.org; drop by 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; or mail a check to Superstition Community Food Bank, 575 N. Idaho Road Suite No. 701, Apache Junction, AZ 85119.