Free dinners, health screenings: Milwaukee Health Services aims to "give Christmas back to people"

MILWAUKEE -- Holidays put giving on the priority list. On Tuesday, December 13th, some Milwaukeeans were giving free holiday dinners and free health screenings.

Temperatures were just pushing past the single digits on Tuesday as people stood outside in line -- some for as long as an hour-and-a-half. They were waiting to get into the Isaac Coggs Heritage Health Center. Once inside, they were greeted with bags of food.

The holiday giveaway was for patients and the community.

"Molina Healthcare, one of our sponsors, we got a call from them and they wanted to donate money so people in the community could have holiday dinners," said Pamela Clark, corporate communications specialist for Milwaukee Health Services.

For many, it was right on time. Kevin Collins lost his job recently -- and told Clark about it.

"I offered him a ticket to come and he came today," Clark said.

"She told me to come down to be a part of what they're doing for our community," Collins said. "To give Christmas back to people who are having such a hard time."

Fortunately for Collins, he has already found a new job. But the food he received Tuesday will go a long way to supplement what he is able to provide.

"We want to say thank you to the community and Ms. Pam for what she's done for us," Collins said.

Others were thankful too -- like those who got the free health screenings through Milwaukee Health Services -- and the person who got the free reading glasses.

The holiday giveaway will help put a lot of Christmas dinners on a lot of tables. But just as important, essential health screenings will help make sure participants have many Christmases to come.