American Legon Post 637 members, Daughters of American Revolution members and friends gather to deliver 100 meals and backpacks to homeless veterans and other veterans in Citrus Heights. Courtesy photo

CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - American Legion Post 637 members and friends recently gathered in front of the Texas Roadhouse in Citrus Heights for their sixth annual holiday Feed the Homeless event.

Originally scheduled for Dec. 14, the day was moved to Dec. 15 as a monsoon-like rain made carrying out plans for that day impossible. Not to be deterred, the group of 12 assembled as usual in front of the restaurant at 10 a.m. Dec. 15.

Texas Roadhouse Managing Partner Lauren Espinoza provided 100 full pulled pork slider meals to be delivered to 100 homeless veterans and other homeless residents in the Citrus Heights area.

Thanks to several corporate donations, small backpacks filled with purchased items were donated with the meals. The backpacks included gloves, stocking caps, socks and hygiene products.

Stops to locate recipients and distribute the gifts of food and backpacks were made at areas around Rusch Park, Citrus Heights Library, Costco and the Home Depot and Raleys on Antelope Road. Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) members, as well as friends who traveled up from the Bay Area, also volunteered.

Upon return from the food distribution, volunteers met at Texas Roadhouse at 3 p.m. for a final debriefing and a prayer of thanks.

“I guarantee that you will head home with a wonderful sense of accomplishment and will make you realize just how lucky you are to have a roof over your head and a warm place to sleep,” Paul Reyes said of the experience.

The Feed the Homeless program began in 2019 with Reyes and four other American Legion Post 637 members and Judy Myers. Reyes had the idea of doing something good for the local community by feeding a number of homeless individuals here in Citrus Heights. Fifty meals were provided by Texas Roadhouse that year, along with the backpacks.

Reyes attributes the success of the event to his long-time group of helpers who have been with him since the start.

“They have gone above and beyond in making certain that items needed get purchased and the back packs given are filled with the personal items,” Reyes said.

“On our first year (Christmas Eve) when my wife, Judy Myers, was asked what she thought of the day, she answered, ‘I have never had this much fun on a Christmas Eve as I have had today!’”

Reyes knew then this could not be a one-time event.

“We now look forward to 2025, planning on doing it once again,” Reyes said.

Texas Roadhouse is known for working with many community partners throughout the year, not only providing meals and funds but wherever there is a need. Its motto is, “Your community is our community.”

Fundraising and other annual events include a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness, free meals for all veterans on Veterans Day, the donation of meals to many local schools during Teacher Appreciation Week, and an annual Donation Night with all proceeds for the night going to the American Tinnitus Association in honor of the Texas Roadhouse founder, Kent Taylor.

For information on fundraising events at Texas Roadhouse, contact Sandra at 916-801-2752.

For information on the all the community projects Texas Roadhouse is involved in, visit https://www.texasroadhouse.com.