Thanksgiving dinner made easier for families in need

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A number people were out today, standing in line for hours -- not for a tickets to a big event, but for food to put on their Thanksgiving table.

Some 400 reusable groceries bags filled with side items for Thanksgiving are part of what's being giving out at the Community Family Center in southeast Houston.

Erica Bynote, manager of Community Relations at Molina Healthcare, said, "We are here to be a positive impact to the community. Provide things to individuals' families who are in need."

According to the center, it means even more.

Maritza Guerrero, president and chief executive officer of Community Family Centers, said, "This is a very under served community. (It) gives them hope."

Juanita Silva, asked what she would do without this help, said, "I guess I would starve a little bit. Disability is not enough to pay my bills and my rent and I guess I would do without."

So what is in the bags they are giving out?

Mashed potatoes, corn, pumpkin, yams and many other items are part of each package.

The Houston Food Bank is also giving out other items to help the food last even longer.

And that means more than these people could have hoped for.

Glass said, "I don't know what I would have done if the food pantry wasn't here. I guess go in my back yard and planted a garden so I could survive."