Operation Homefront is dedicated to providing emergency assistance to servicemembers and their families 365 days a year and right now that includes providing them with a holiday meal.

The annual Holiday Meals for the Military event creates 7,500 meal kits, which include all the grocery items necessary for a holiday meal for four people - including a $30 Wal-Mart gift card for the purchase of perishable items - and then distributes them to lower and mid-grade ranking military families, E-1 thru E-6, at 22 military installations, including Joint Base Lewis-McChord, which will run the program between Dec. 13-20.

One contributor is a bit of a local legend - at least at Northwest watering holes. Demitri's Seasonings stemmed from a Seattle bartender's quest to craft consistently tasty Bloody Marys ... and now Demitri's® All Natural Bloody Mary Seasoning sells in hotels, bars, restaurants, nightclubs and grocery stores in all 50 states.

To support Holiday Meals for the Military, Demitri's Seasonings will give $14,000 worth of product samples to be used in the meal kits.

"We are proud to be working with Operation Homefront again this year," said Demitri Pallis, founder and owner of Demitri's Seasonings.

Pallis, who has no personal connections to the military, donates because he enjoys it. 

"I do it because it's a small way to say thanks for the work our soldiers do to protect our way of life as Americans. These people put their lives and families on the line for us and helping do my small part is important to everyone at Gourmet Mixes," he said. "We are also always happy when we can hire veterans."

In addition to the actual donation, Pallis and his team will be volunteering and helping to assemble 300 meal kits for JBLM soldiers and airmen Friday, Dec. 13.

For more information, visit www.holidaymealsformilitary.org.