Jessee Underwood, Wayne Whiteside, Fred Henry, and Myron Cramer are among the member of the American Legion Post #626 in Alabama that annually puts together holiday meal packages for economically struggling families in the western part of Genesee County.

The program has been going for nearly 20 years and this year Legion members prepared 39 boxes for families in the Pembroke School District and the Oakfield-Alabama School District and the Tonawanda Indian Reservation.

One box is going to a woman veteran in the Town of Shelby who works two jobs to try and make ends meet.

“She’s a vet and this a veterans' organization, we’re going to take care of her," Commander Fred Henry said.

The post holds hosts a meat raffle in the spring and a cash raffle in December to raise money for the program but many items in the care boxes are donated.

Piedmont Produce donates trimmings.

• Kreher's Farm, eggs
• Bonduelle, the turkeys
• Star Growers, onions
• Ronald Bruckner, stuffing
• Roberts Farm Market, apples
• Akron Family Dentistry, toothbrushes

Alabama Holly Farms also contributes.

We couldn't do this without the support of the community," Underwood said.