KTKA

For hundreds of Manhattan families this holiday season, the cans of food they can get at the Flint Hills Breadbasket are helping them survive the winter.

"I don’t know what some families would do without our organization and they tell us that," Flint Hills Breadbasket Executive Director Natascha Phillip said. "We hear that several times a day.

Stocking up has been a bit more challenging because more than double the amount of people are asking for help this year. For many families, it’s their first time coming to the breadbasket.

"Two-income households that are coming in and they just can’t afford to make ends meet," Phillip said.

After losing a $15,000 grant because of the poor economy, the breadbasket wasn’t sure how it would make ends meet.

"You know we were afraid," Phillip said.

However, she says the community has helped ease those fears through continued cash and food donations.

"The community is coming through," she said. "Manhattan is amazing and is making sure that we’re taken care of and that families don’t go hungry here in the community."

As a way to say thank you to Manhattan, the breadbasket will be having a community Thanksgiving dinner Thursday. So far, 300 people have already made reservations.

"We have military," Phillip said. "We have senior citizens. We have students that aren’t able to go home and it really is a great way to bring the entire community together as one and celebrate Thanksgiving."

Everyone is invited to the Thanksgiving dinner Thursday at the Manhattan High School East campus at 10th and Houston from 12 to 2.

The Flint Hills Breadbasket is also taking donations. You can bring food to the breadbasket at 905 Yuma St. from 8-4 Monday through Friday or bring a can to the Mayor's Lighted Holiday Parade December 4. K-State baseball players will be walking through the crowd collecting donations.

The breadbasket is also seeking people to help families this Christmas with the Adopt a Family program. The program helps give kids warm clothes and presents for Christmas.