Union County people are being encouraged to donate goods and funds to the annual Christmas Basket Fund.
The program will conclude with the distribution of baskets Dec. 16 at the Food Shelf, 301 N. Elm in Creston.
Creston Kiwanis will be conducting food drives to collect food that will go to assist those who are in need in Union County. Grocery carts will be located at the food banks and participating banks for people to leave their nonperishable items. Those donations will be divided among the Food Shelf, MATURA and the Crest Area Food Pantry.
Monetary donations can be left at the Creston News Advertiser, 503 W. Adams. Donations can also be made through PayPal. Using a smartphone, organizers said people can open the camera app on their phone, hold their camera over the QR code and a web link will pop up to click on and it will take the donor directly to the Christmas Basket donation portal. The QR code is the graphic included in this story.
It can be anonymous if they choose and they can include a personal message also.
The Christmas Basket fund will also have $10 certificates in the baskets for perishable food items that can be redeemed at Hy-Vee, Fareway or Walmart, all in Creston.
David and Barbra Wilmeth, $50
GFWC/IOWA Bancroft History Assembly, $25
Michael and Rita Wolfe, $200. In Memory of Ruth Thompson
Kiwanis Club of Creston, $300
Marcia Healy Fulton, $25.
Carla Beavers and Curtis Downey, $30
Betty Beavers and Mike Beavers, $30
Mike Moon and Otis Brown, $30
Fred Maharry, $120 In Memory of Lucille and William Grady Maharry, Del, Grace and William Gripp, Alan and Mabel Pine
Salem Lutheran Church, $217.20
Anonymous Donor, $40
Sarah Scull, $25
Alma Swanson, $50
Brad and Ronda Waltz, $100 In Memory of David Libby
Joni Taylor, $50 In Memory of Bill Taylor
Pat Schlapia, $50 In Memory of Harry and Patty Schlapia, Chris Burlingame, Mike Schlapia, Mary Lynn and Jim Baker
The Creston News Advertiser plans to run stories about the donation program through the season to encourage people to give.