WARREN — Veterans were lined up bright and early to receive a special care package aimed at making the holidays a bit easier.

Hundreds were at the Trumbull County Veterans Service Commission parking lot Saturday morning as veterans received turkeys and pumpkin pies.

The effort was made possible by the Cover Down Fund, a Mahoning Valley-based nonprofit founded earlier this year.

The organization focuses on supporting veterans in their post-service lives through health, wellness, and promoting independence and financial stability for service members.

To claim the food, participants had to present proof of military service through a current military ID, VA identification card, county veteran ID or a state driver’s license with an Armed Forces designation.

Herm Breuer, former director of the Trumbull County Veterans Service Commission and founder of the Cover Down Fund, said Saturday’s turnout demonstrated the community’s “great need.”

“We had more than what we were expecting to show up, so we had 100 turkeys and pies donated to us by the Cover Down Fund partners,” Breuer said. “The DeBartolo Corporation and Covelli Enterprises were really instrumental in being able to do this — the need was great.”

Breuer said they had initially advertised to start at noon, but volunteers ran out of supplies by 12:05 p.m. He admitted that he expected things to go fast, but not to that degree.

Breuer explained the effort was spurred on in 2015 during his time as director of the service commission — starting with Christmas.

“We did some sort of giveaway at Christmas, and we expanded it to include Thanksgiving and Easter,” Breuer said. “The new organization, the Cover Down Fund, is just kind of taking on and carrying the torch of the military or the Purple Heart.”

As for why so many veterans struggle during the holidays, Breuer said some were possibly missed.

“A lot of veterans, they maybe were never connected to resources that were available to them, and unfortunately may have fallen through the cracks,” Breuer said. “What we’re trying to do is help those individuals.”