Can-A-Thon | What meals ought to I donate to the Salvation Military?

Each box the Salvation Army puts together is filled with enough food for a family to prepare 20 meals.

ATLANTA – 11Alive starts the 39th annual Can-A-Thon food campaign for the benefit of the Atlanta Salvation Army.

Whether you can help by raiding your pantry or dropping by the grocery store, any donation is welcome.

The Salvation Army requires canned or long-life food, and there are certain items that they particularly need.

“We want people to be careful about what they’re giving us and what we’re putting in a box,” said Salvation Army major Luna Smith, who helps coordinate donations from the Krog Center in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Atlanta.

Each box the Salvation Army puts together is filled with enough food for a family to prepare 20 meals. The Krog Center alone distributed up to 160 boxes a month.

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And there are 7 other locations in the Atlanta area – in Cobb, Gwinnett, Clayton, and DeKalb – that do the same.

When asked what they would like to have more of this holiday season, Smith said the following.

“Canned meat and spaghetti sauce and spaghetti,” Smith said. “Usually, snacks are a real challenge. It’s hard to keep up with crackers, bars and things like that.”

Smith says many of the recipient families have children, so it’s important to keep track of them.

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“We have to think about the children,” she said. “Mac and cheese, rice, beans. Soup, mashed potatoes, muesli. “

They also look for a variety of foods that will suit the needs of each individual family.

“We need to be aware, are we in the population that is fully Hispanic? Because there is a culture that is heavily involved when it comes to food, “explained Smith.

She said it’s also important to remember that not everyone has a stove or microwave, so ready-to-eat products are particularly valued.

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“Canned ravioli, things like that so they just pop up and be ready to eat without cooking,” Smith said.

Whatever you donate, you know it goes a long way in keeping our neighbors’ bellies full.

“I’ve never seen anyone refuse something we put in a box,” said Smith. That’s why we shoot. “

Click here for a list of donation points.