The holidays are over, but that doesn’t mean the season of giving ends. The Fayetteville Woodpeckers, the Military Luggage Company, the Rick Herrema Foundation and Off-Road Outreach have joined forces to help homeless veterans and low-income military families.

The Woodpeckers Foundation and Community Leaders Program have raised $7,480 and used it to purchase 187 backpacks from the Military Luggage Company, which discounted each bag by 50%. Donations collected to fill the bags include coats, shoes, hats, gloves, cold medicine and first aid kits. Off-Road Outreach will distribute the backpacks to homeless veterans and low-income military families on Jan. 10 at Operation Inasmuch, a local nonprofit. Off-road Outreach, ServiceSource and the Woodpeckers will be serving a free lunch at the event. They will also provide free haircuts and additional resources to people who need them.

Kristen Nett, community and media relations manager for the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, hopes this inaugural event will persist, becoming an annual opportunity to give back.

“We have not done this event in the past,” Nett said. “I hope to make this an annual event to support homeless veterans and low-income military families in our community.”

People can still donate hygiene items, coats, blankets, shoes, hats and gloves at Operations Inasmuch at 531 Hillsboro St. To register for the event or volunteer, visit www.rhfnow.org.