Non-Profit

For families already stretching household budgets to cover groceries, housing and other necessities, the added expense of Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas gifts can make the holidays especially difficult. This fall, Cypress Assistance Ministries (CAM) is once again bringing the Cy-Fair community together to help make sure local families do not have to navigate that season alone.

CAM's 2026 holiday assistance includes its Thanksgiving Food Drive and Merriment at the Ministry, two annual programs that provide qualifying families with holiday food, toys and gifts. Registration for both begins Oct. 12, with separate deadlines and requirements depending on the program. At the same time, CAM is asking local residents, businesses, churches, schools and community organizations to help stock the programs through food and gift donations, donation drives and volunteer service. 

For Cypress and Cy-Fair residents, the holiday programs offer two sides of the same community effort. Families who need a little help this year have somewhere local to turn, while neighbors who are in a position to give have several practical ways to make a difference close to home.

CAM has been serving the Cypress area since 1990, when what would become the nonprofit began with volunteers serving simple meals to hungry neighbors. Today, the faith-based nonprofit provides food assistance, emergency financial help, job counseling and training, adult education, clothing and household necessities, along with seasonal programs including holiday meals and Christmas gifts for children. 

How to Get Help: Thanksgiving Meals and Christmas Assistance for Cy-Fair Families

Families seeking holiday assistance will need to register with Cypress Assistance Ministries, and the timelines differ for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Thanksgiving Food Drive Registration Begins Oct. 12

CAM's Thanksgiving Food Drive is designed to provide qualifying local families with the ingredients for a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Registration is required and runs Oct. 12 through Nov. 14, 2026, according to CAM's current Thanksgiving program information. Zip code restrictions apply, and eligibility requirements mirror those used for Merriment at the Ministry.

Walk-in Thanksgiving registration will be available at Cypress Assistance Ministries, 12930 Cypress N. Houston Road in Cypress, during these times:

• Mondays and Wednesdays from 1 to 4 p.m.
• Fridays from 1 to 3 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 14, from 9 a.m. to noon

Families with questions about the Thanksgiving Food Drive may contact CAM Food Pantry Director Henry Lombraña at 832-604-3114 or HenryL@cypressassistance.org. 

Merriment at the Ministry Registration Opens Oct. 12

For Christmas, CAM's Merriment at the Ministry helps qualifying families with gifts for children, food for the household or both.

Registration is scheduled for Oct. 12 through Dec. 5, 2026. Families must live within the Cy-Fair ISD jurisdiction in one of the eligible ZIP codes listed by CAM: 77040, 77041, 77043, 77055, 77064, 77065, 77066, 77069, 77070, 77080, 77084, 77086, 77088, 77092, 77095, 77429, 77433 and 77449.

Applicants should be prepared to provide a government-issued photo ID, proof of household income and verification of household members and children. Documents used for household verification may include a lease agreement, report card, school enrollment information, SNAP benefits documentation, birth certificates or Social Security cards.

Registration appointments can be scheduled using the Merriment at the Ministry registration link provided by CAM. The location for holiday assistance pickup will be provided to families when they register. Questions about receiving assistance can be directed to help@cypressassistance.org. 

For a household facing a difficult year, that assistance can mean more than what is inside a grocery bag or beneath a Christmas tree. It can preserve familiar family traditions at a time when paying for them may otherwise be out of reach.

How to Give: Food, Toys, Teen Gifts, Gift Cards and Volunteers Needed

The other half of CAM's holiday effort happens throughout the community, as residents and organizations fill the shelves and supply the gifts that will eventually make their way to local families.

For Thanksgiving, CAM is seeking foods commonly found around the holiday table. Requested donations include turkeys, hams, whole chickens, turkey breasts, cornbread, stuffing, canned corn, green beans, instant mashed potatoes, canned yams or pumpkin, macaroni and cheese, chicken broth, rolls or biscuits, gravy, vegetable broth, cranberry sauce, cream of onion and cream of mushroom soups, baking goods, cake or cookie mixes and frosting, evaporated milk, baking soda or powder, oil, pie crusts and pie filling. CAM notes that turkeys and hams are particularly appreciated for the Thanksgiving effort. To view a complete list of requested food donations, click here.

Christmas giving expands beyond the pantry. CAM is requesting new, unwrapped toys, gifts for teenagers ages 13 and older, $25 retail and grocery gift cards, and Christmas baking baskets. Residents can also organize a toy, teen-gift, food or gift-card drive on CAM's behalf. For a comprehensive list of gift ideas, click here.

Those options can make holiday giving accessible at almost any scale. A family can add a few Thanksgiving staples to its grocery cart, a neighborhood group can collect toys, a business can organize gift cards, or a school, church or organization can host a larger community drive.

Food donations can be dropped off at 12930 Cypress N. Houston Road from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. The donation center is closed Sundays. 

CAM's holiday materials ask for Merriment at the Ministry donations by Dec. 11. Volunteers will then be needed Dec. 14 through Dec. 17 to help sort, organize and distribute food and gifts to registered families. To serve as an "elf" and make holiday magic come to life for children across Cy-Fair, sign up to volunteer here.

Volunteers are an important part of how the program moves from donated groceries, toys and gift cards to complete holiday assistance for neighbors. CAM credits local volunteers, donors and community partners with making its seasonal programs possible, an extension of the community-supported model that has sustained the organization for more than three decades. 

A Holiday Effort Centered on Neighbors Helping Neighbors

The Thanksgiving Food Drive and Merriment at the Ministry arrive during a season when need and generosity can exist only a few streets apart. CAM says its broader service area includes thousands of people facing food insecurity and households that may be one financial crisis away from losing stability. 

That makes the 2026 holiday effort especially local. The Thanksgiving meal donated in Cypress may end up on another Cypress family's table. A toy purchased by one Cy-Fair neighbor may become a child's Christmas present just a few neighborhoods away.

Residents who need assistance, want to donate or would like more information can contact Cypress Assistance Ministries at 281-955-7684 or visit the organization at 12930 Cypress N. Houston Road, Cypress, TX 77429.

As Thanksgiving and Christmas approach, My Neighborhood News will continue sharing local opportunities for residents to find assistance, volunteer and support neighbors across the Cy-Fair community.

By Tiffany Krenek, My Neighborhood News 

Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.

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