MATTAWA - Columbia Basin Health Association (CBHA) employees have been gearing up to provide 175 Thanksgiving food baskets this year, and they are handing them out today.

"We began putting food baskets together for needy families years ago," Melva Zavala-Campos, CBHA Support Services supervisor, who regularly serves as food drive organizer. "Employee enthusiasm for the project has grown over the years."

According to Zavala-Campos, many area residents are low income folks who do their best to provide for their families. She said CBHA employees like to give them a boost at this time of year and provide a little extra food for their Thanksgiving dinner.

The food baskets traditionally contain a turkey or chicken, ham, potatoes, canned goods, tortillas/rolls, Maseca (corn flour), milk and butter.

"We deliver the baskets the Tuesday before Thanksgiving," Zavala-Campos said.

CBHA employees are organized into teams for the fund raising effort. Employees can contribute money if they don't have time to go out and shop. A contribution of one dollar equals two cans of food.

"The competition is fierce between these teams," Zavala-Campos said. "We hope to reach our goal of 175 baskets."

The Thanksgiving basket program helps employees get into the Christmas spirit. It will be time to begin the annual CBHA toy drive for needy children once the Thanksgiving baskets have been delivered.

"When we sit down to our own Thanksgiving dinner, it gives us pleasure to know we have helped make Thanksgiving happier for a lot of people," Zavala-Campos said.