Although the holidays can be a difficult time for some, members of a local church are doing their best to help make Thanksgiving a little bit better for some folks.

On Thanksgiving Day from 11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m. members of the First Christian Church will be holding a free Thanksgiving dinner for students and other members of the community who want company, good food and conversation on an otherwise lonely day.

“The least we could do is have a free meal,” said Reverend David Digby of the First Christian Church.

Digby said members of his church, as well as many other citizens, plan to prepare food for around 400 people. The menu for this year’s meal is going to be traditional: turkey, dressing, pumpkin pie and an assortment of vegetables and other desserts.

The annual dinner started about nine years ago when church members thought it would be a nice idea to prepare a meal for people who were homeless, lonely or just wanting to be with lots of people, Digby said.

The church started out only serving around 50 people, most of them homeless, he said. As the years progressed, word got out and the number of people at the dinner began to grow.

Another initiative for attending the dinner is the free ride.

Church members will offer to pick people up at their homes and then take them back after the dinner.

Free parking is also available in the lot west of the church.

Volunteers are always needed, especially with the preparation, as well as the cleanup, Digby said.

As well as being offered a free dinner at First Christian Church, opportunities are also available for international students to share Thanksgiving with families from all over Ames and surrounding communities.

“Families have called and offered their homes,” said Jane Edwards, program coordinator for the Office of International Students and Scholars. “As of right now, we have more families than students.”

International students who wish to sign up with a family can call Edwards at 294-0378. Sign-up will be available until Monday.