Operation Give Birds Seeks Donations for Thanksgiving Meals

KCRG-TV9 and the Iowa Giving Crew are collecting donations to provide Thanksgiving meals to Iowa families facing hunger this holiday season.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Philanthropy

Operation Give Birds Seeks Donations for Thanksgiving Meals

Live Poll

Do you think local charities can adequately address hunger in your community?

KCRG-TV9 and the Iowa Giving Crew are gathering donations for Operation Give Birds, which plans to provide 2,750 Thanksgiving meals to families in eastern Iowa. Meals will be distributed November 22 at Van Meter in Cedar Rapids starting at 12 p.m.

Why it matters

Data compiled by Feeding America shows 376,000 Iowans are struggling with hunger, and about a third of them are children. The effort aims to help families across eastern Iowa meet their holiday food needs.

A $40 donation feeds a family of four, and Operation Give Birds provided 2,600 meals last year, up from 2,500 the year before. The Iowa Giving Crew is aiming for 2,750 meals this year, though whether that goal will be reached has not been reported.

The players

KCRG-TV9

KCRG-TV9 is a television station serving eastern Iowa that is partnering with the Iowa Giving Crew on the Operation Give Birds donation drive.

Iowa Giving Crew

The Iowa Giving Crew is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that organizes charitable giving efforts in Iowa, including Operation Give Birds.

Feeding America

Feeding America is a national network of food banks that compiles data on hunger across the United States, including the 376,000 Iowans it reports as struggling with hunger.

The details

Eastern Iowans can donate at any time through the Iowa Giving Crew's website, and families can sign up for meals starting at 9 a.m. on November 12. The effort began almost 10 years ago on Craigslist and has fed more than 40,000 people since. The meals include turkey from Fareway and sides from HACAP, including green beans, corn, potatoes and stuffing.

Last year: Operation Give Birds provided 2,600 meals.
November 12: Great Give Day; family meal sign-ups begin at 9 a.m.
November 22: Meal distribution at Van Meter in Cedar Rapids begins at 12 p.m.

Market Landscape

Feeding America's documented count of 376,000 Iowans struggling with hunger frames the scale of need that Operation Give Birds is responding to with holiday meals. The drive builds on a program that has grown from 2,500 meals two years ago to a 2,750-meal target this year.

Families facing food insecurity in eastern Iowa can sign up for Thanksgiving meals starting November 12. Donors can give at any time through the Iowa Giving Crew's website, and a $40 gift covers a family of four.

The takeaway

Even small donations add up: at $40 per family of four, a community effort can put a full holiday meal on tables across eastern Iowa. Readers wishing to help can give directly through the Iowa Giving Crew's website before the November 22 distribution.

What happens next

Families can sign up for meals starting at 9 a.m. on November 12, and meals will be distributed November 22 at Van Meter in Cedar Rapids starting at 12 p.m.