Orange Mound residents are gearing up for the holidays by organizing community dinners to feed the needy and collect toys for Christmas. Here are ways you can join their efforts this holiday season or year round.

Orange Mound Community Council at Melrose High School

The Orange Mound Community Council is creating 25 Thanksgiving baskets to give to students and elders in the Orange Mound community.

The five-pound baskets include Kroger gift cards, flour, macaroni and cheese, candied yams, cake mix, frosting, cereal, cornmeal, greens, eggs, oil and other ingredients to help create a traditional Thanksgiving meal. The baskets will be given away on Monday, November 20 at Melrose High School.

An additional five baskets will be given to students who have experienced recent losses of family members this year. The baskets will be presented to the students and their families during half-time at the Melrose vs. Hillcrest basketball game on Tuesday, November 21 at 6:30 p.m. The game will be held at Melrose High School at 2870 Deadrick Avenue.

Those interested in donating items to the baskets may contact LaTonia Blankenship, family engagement specialist at Melrose High School at 901-416-5974.

Feed the Need at the Orange Mound Gallery

On Thanksgiving Day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., volunteers will provide food, toiletries, clothes, warm blankets, and Thanksgiving Dinner to during the second annual Feed the Need event, held at the Orange Mound Gallery.

Interested patrons can also donate items like carry out trays, aluminum foil, paper cups, canned goods and plastic cutlery at The Orange Mound Gallery at 2230 Lamar Avenue on Friday, November 17 from 4 to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 18 from 12 to 5 p.m.

Those interested in scheduling donations outside of those hours or volunteering can contact Joyce Coleman at 901-870-5421.

The goal of the Feed the Need event is to provide dinner and take-home packages to 125 people. Dinner will include fried chicken, baked beans, potatoes, iced tea and lemonade.

Organizers and sponsors include Linda Steel, founder and CEO of Art UP, Luella Marshall, founder of the Orange Mound Neighborhood and Veterans Association, Britney Thornton, founder of JUICE Orange Mound and Joyce Dorse-Coleman with Patchworks, a quilting group.

Christmas Party for Orange Mound Outreach Ministries

The Orange Mound Outreach Ministries will partner with local churches and businesses to present the 10th annual OMOM Christmas party on December 14 at 6 p.m. During the party, gifts will be presented to OMOM Christmas Angels.

OMOM Christmas Angels are children that have participated in programs with the Orange Mound Outreach Ministries throughout the year. The nonprofit focuses on gang, drug and alcohol prevention through programs that emphasize respect, self-control and education.

After the children make requests for the toys they are interested in, the lists are placed on cards that sponsors can pick up at 845 Marechalneil Street Monday through Friday 3 to 8 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Those who want to donate can also contact Reverend Reginald Tucker at 901-244-1416.

There are 50 OMOM Angels this year between four and 16 years old. Donated items must be new and unwrapped. Thursday, December 7 is the deadline for donations.

Partners for the program include Harvest Church, Second Presbyterian Church, Faith Presbyterian Church, Vining Sparks and Mosaic of Memphis.

Landmark Farmers Market

The Landmark Farmers Market on 2489 Carnes Avenue is always looking for volunteers and is open Monday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The market is connected to a pantry that provides food for those in need including vegetables grown in the Landmark.

On The Ground: Orange Mound Landmark Farmers Market from High Ground News on Vimeo.