A simple meal for some will put food on the table for others this holiday season.
For the 19th consecutive year, the Bramlett Beans and Cornbread lunch on Thursday raised funds and food donations to help feed
families in need.
For $5 or a donation of six food items, attendees at the Texas side's Southwest Community Center ate beans provided by Big Jake's Bar-B-Que; cornbread made by Texarkana, Texas, Independent School District food services staff; sodas donated by Coca-Cola; and coffee and dessert from Starbucks.
The event brought in more than $1,400 and dozens of bags of food for the benefit of the Christmas Basket program sponsored by Texarkana Water Utilities employees and both Texarkanas' city employees.
Proceeds will help pay for 100 food "baskets"-actually boxes decorated with gift-wrapping-of food for families in need nominated by city employees, community centers, schools and churches. Baskets contain the donated food and other nonperishable food items, hams, produce, bread, candy canes and more.
The event's founder and namesake, former Texarkana, Texas, Mayor James Bramlett, served guests cornbread alongside volunteers from Texarkana Emergency Center and Farmers Bank and Trust. That first year, he never thought the lunch would become a tradition still going strong almost 20 years later.
"It's community support and volunteers that have kept it going," he said.
Officials in attendance included Texas-side Mayor Bob Bruggeman, Police Chief Dan Shiner and Ward 3 City Council Member Betty Williams.
"This is one of the many good things that our citizens have started," Williams said. "It's wonderful."
Students in Texas High School's ceramics class were also there selling handmade bowls to benefit Empty Bowls Project, an international program dedicated to fighting hunger.
The Christmas Basket program began in 1991 with baskets given to five TWU employees.
On Twitter: @RealKarlRichter