Opa Grill and Howie’s Transportation are joining forces to provide free Thanksgiving meals for 150 needy Marshalltown residents. They are asking for donations to help provide more.

Ioannis Coutsougeras, owner of the Opa Grill, said the owner of Howie’s is a friend and customer.

“He wanted to donate food this year and reached out to see if I would be interested in helping,” he said. “Previous years, he would use a different restaurant, but they unfortunately went out of business.”

Howie’s will donate 100 meals and Opa is providing 50, with all prepared by the Greek restaurant’s staff. While the meals are traditional Thanksgiving fare, Coutsougeras said they will be delivered to the House of Compassion and the Triumph Center the day after.

“The House of Compassion is closed and Triumph Center will be busy the day of,” he said. “I will be dropping them off around noon.”

The traditional Thanksgiving meal will include turkey breast, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, stuffing, bread roll, cranberry sauce and a slice of pumpkin pie.

“Can never go wrong with traditional food around the holidays,” he said.

Coutsougeras hopes more people will join the cause to provide holiday meals to those in need. Anyone wishing to contribute may donate a meal for just $19.95 through Opa Grill, he said.

“Hopefully more people reach out and help donate,” Coutsougeras said. “So far we have received an additional 10 meals.”

During the last three years, Coutsougeras has donated traditional Thanksgiving meals for people in the area who might not have friends or family to celebrate with, or for anyone who does not want to do the cooking at home. During the last four years, he said they have also donated food to the House of Compassion and the Triumph Center, such as the annual 25 gallons of homemade soup to the House for the soup drive.

Coutsougeras is inviting residents to expand the effort.

“We feel like in these hard times, people who can do more, should offer help in any way they can,” he said. “Big or small, every little bit helps.”

DONATION INFO:

Donations should be made by Monday. They can be sent to Opa Grill, 4 W. Boone St., Marshalltown, 50158. Coutsougeras said people can also call 641-758-3322 to make a donation.

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Contact Lana Bradstream

at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or

lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.