BILLINGS — Family Service is celebrating a record-breaking year of handing out free meals to families in need before Thanksgiving.
In total, the nonprofit expects to have given meals to 1,500 families in Yellowstone County beginning Monday. Last year, the group helped 1,200 families receive free food.
Executive Director Ryan Cremer said he's thrilled with the total, which includes all 1,500 turkeys that the organization received following Q2's annual Turkey Tuesday event.
“It’s an incredible feeling to be able to walk away knowing that those are the amount of families we’ve helped to have something over the holidays,” Cremer said Wednesday morning.
Those free meals come at a great time for families. According to Family Service, Montanans are spending $150 more each month on groceries than they did in 2023.
It's a pinch felt by one resident named Nancy, who was collecting her free meal Wednesday.
"Things are getting a little tougher and it's sounding scarier," Nancy, who asked not to publish her last name, said Wednesday. "Merchants are already putting prices up and that's when it's getting scary. I'm on a fixed retirement income."
Because of her own struggles, Nancy's Thanksgiving plans were limited.
"Honestly, I had some frozen chicken in the freezer," Nancy said, when asked about what she'd be eating by MTN before learning about Family Service. "That was pretty much it. And some green beans."
Instead, her daughter reached out and informed her about Family Service as an option. She was overcome with emotion when she received her food.
"It's even hard to talk about. I am so grateful," Nancy said with tears in her eyes. "It will be helping me out actually for several weeks."
Nancy's story is just one of the thousands Family Service Client Intake Manager Twileta Griggs knows all too well.
"Our clients need the help we're providing for them," Griggs said Wednesday.
While the service is offered to Billings residents nearly every day of the year, Griggs said there's always something special about helping during the holidays.
“It’s the best time of the year for me, because I get to see all of our clients in one to two days," Griggs said. "It makes my heart swell with happiness."
In Nancy's time of need, the help means more than just security.
"Just relief," Nancy said. "At least for now, a lot of relief."
