Thousands of Kenosha residents will have something extra to give thanks for next week thanks to the community’s support.

The Holiday House, at 4300 39th Ave., will host its annual Thanksgiving food basket distribution next week Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The distribution provides food for a holiday meal to local families in need of assistance.

Distribution for the food baskets will be held from noon to 7 p.m. on Monday, noon to 8 p.m. on Tuesday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

Families seeking the baskets need to be preregistered for the Monday and Tuesday collections, but registration can be done on site on Wednesday.

Those registering need a photo ID, proof of Kenosha County residency, Social Security card or ITIN, children’s Social Security cards, names and Social Security cards for all individuals living in the home and proof of income.

Sherri Arnold, program administrator for the Holiday House, said the food baskets are not guaranteed after 1 p.m. on Wednesday. Over 1,500 families have preregistered for the distribution, which could equal about 6,000 people being served.

Primary funding for the Holiday House is provided by Kenosha Christmas Charities (Goodfellows). The Shalom Center and Goodwill Industries of Southeast Wisconsin provided event coordination, distribution and agency support assistance with Cathy Housenga from the Shalom Center serving as event coordinator. The space for the Holiday House is donated by RFP Commercial, Inc.

The Winter Wraps coat distribution in October was the year’s first Holiday House event. Arnold said 2,663 people were given coats as part of the program. The collection of the coats for this distribution is conducted by Women and Children’s Horizons.

Kathryn Comstock, executive director of Women and Children’s Horizons, said nearly as many children were given coats this year as the total number of people served last year.

“People who never had to ask for help before, had to ask for it this year,” Comstock said. “Usually we have coats left over and store them, but this year we were stretched to the limits. I think we just barely made it this year.”

The final Holiday House event of 2009, the Christmas toy distribution, will be held from noon to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 15; noon to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 16 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 17.

The deadline to preregister for families looking to be a part of this event is Friday, Dec. 4. Registrations will be accepted in person at:

Agency support for the Holiday House is provided by the Shalom Center, Southern Lakes Credit Union, Kenosha County Department of Human Services, Kenosha News, R.S.V.P., First United Methodist Church, Community Action Agency, The Spanish Center, Urban League of Racine and Kenosha, Hunger Prevention Council and Women and Children’s Horizons.

Anyone interested in volunteering time, efforts or money to the Holiday House distribution should call the Kenosha County Job Center at 697-4500.

Those interested in providing donations for shelters at Women and Children’s Horizons this holiday season can call 652-9900 for more information.