Donations sought for annual community holiday meal

The 15^th annual MLK Holiday Meal will return on Wednesday, December 18. Organizers with Lane County's MLK Education Center are seeking donations in order to serve as many people as possible during the event.

The MLK Holiday Meal provides a free lunch of turkey, ham and side dishes open to all community members. The food is prepared and served by youth enrolled in the MLK Culinary Arts Program at the Serbu Youth Campus in Eugene. The program is part of the MLK Education Center - an alternative education program providing academic and vocational services for youth involved with Lane County Community Justice and Rehabilitation Services.

Event organizers welcome donations of food, services, and financial contributions. The event includes free raffles to give people products or gift certificates that provide extra support during the holiday season. Interested donors are encouraged to contact the MLK Education Center at 541-682-4715. Donations are tax deductible.

Displays at the MLK Holiday Meal will recognize contributions made by businesses, organizations, and individual donors.

More about the MLK Culinary Arts Program

MLK Culinary Arts is one of the school's vocational programs where students are taught a wide variety of culinary, catering, and workplace skills. Youth work alongside professionals who mentor and supervise them to prepare meals and cater a variety of events. A crucial piece of this program is connecting students with the community. The MLK Holiday Meal is one opportunity for the youth to give back to their community and demonstrate the skills they are developing. Our youth served more than 400 community members during last year's event.