A Davenport charity will soon host a holiday visitor from Canada. On Saturday, the Canadian Pacific Railway's Holiday Train will make a stop in Davenport to benefit the food pantry network of Churches United of the Quad City Area.
The train has made a stop in the Quad Cities every other year since 2008, raising awareness about hunger and encouraging food donations. Donations exceeded $25,000 when the train last stopped in 2014.
Anne Wachal, Executive Director at Churches United, says the train offers an opportunity for the community to come together in a unique way.
"It provides an opportunity for people to come together at very little cost, and it provides extra food for our pantries and some extra funding that we might not normally receive."
Churches United currently serves about 40,000 people at its 25 Quad City-area food pantries.
"The need [for donations] is greater. We've got more people working part-time jobs and under-employed. Those full-time jobs and benefits aren't out there like they used to be, and so our pantries are able to help families get over that hump when they don't have food in the home," Wachal said.
Festivities begin at 12:30 on Saturday afternoon, and The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train is scheduled to arrive at 1:45 at Modern Woodmen Park.
The train will also stop in Savanna and Muscatine on Friday night. After Davenport on Saturday, it will travel to Clinton, Bellevue, and Dubuque.
