CANYON COUNTY, Idaho — The Salvation Army in Caldwell stepped up this holiday season to help families in need, distributing hundreds of food boxes to families across Canyon County. Each box provided everything needed for a Thanksgiving meal — from a turkey and sides to fresh fruit and desserts.
For many families, these boxes made it possible to celebrate the holiday together, even when times are tough.
"It's just been so great because so many, so many times people who are in need, and especially this time of year with food prices getting so high and everything else, they can feel alone," Captain Amy Lewis said.
Volunteers like Vernon and Heather Borchert have been part of the Salvation Army for more than 15 years, giving their time year-round to help families in need.
"When you see people come for food and turkeys and things, you know they're going to have a big family event. It's maybe something they weren't going to be able to do that year. It's just very heartwarming," Vernon Borchert said.
"It's just being able to see people have a need met that maybe wouldn't have been able to afford it otherwise," Heather Borchert said.
WATCH: See the community come together to make sure families have a Thanksgiving meal.
Families lined up as early as 5 in the morning to pick up the boxes full of Thanksgiving food.
From food distributions at Thanksgiving to toy drives at Christmas, the Borcherts say giving back to the community is what makes the holidays meaningful.
"It's always fun. We love to volunteer… it feels like you're giving back a little bit to others who need it," Vernon Borchert said.
"We're really blessed. This community really cares about their neighbor. They take the time to show up and volunteer," Lewis said.
The Salvation Army will have another food box distribution on December 18 at 10 a.m. in Caldwell.
For Canyon County happenings, news, and more— join our Facebook Group: 2C Neighborhood News - Nampa, Caldwell, Middleton
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
