Raccoon Valley Radio is preparing to kick off its long list of Caring Christmas food drives starting tomorrow.

Owner John McGee says that the event is something that the group has been doing since 2012, making this the 14th year. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio that even before his wife and he took over the group recently, it has been an event that holds a special place in their hearts.

“Caring Christmas is a neat way to give back, but it’s also a neat way to pull a community together to do two very important things. Number one, raise food for those in need. Everybody knows the needs are a lot greater this year. So our Caring Christmas food drives that we partner with our clients on, that we partner with our grocery stores on, and we partner with the community on, is all about collecting food and turning that food right into the food pantries in the communities that we collect it in to get it in the hands of everybody that needs it right away.”

McGee mentions that individuals can make donations at the Caring Christmas food drive live broadcasts by donating food items or money while in the store. He adds that there will be three Caring Christmas food drives this week, with one tomorrow from 3-5pm at the Fareway in Jefferson sponsored by M&W Ag Supply, and two on Friday, with one at Hometown Market in Earlham from 5-7pm sponsored by Earlham Building Center, and one in Jefferson at Hy-Vee, who is also the sponsor for that specific event which will run from 4-6pm.

McGee explains that there are also opportunities during the rest of November and into December for individuals to enter for a chance to win $1,000. To enter, people can register at any Caring Christmas food drive, at any Caring Christmas sponsor, or call in during the Caring Christmas Cash Calls, where they call in to the station and try to guess which sponsor will appear on the wheel for that spin.