Free holiday meals: Check out food options for Houstonians in need this season Tags: Lisa Iparrea, director of client services, gives a thumbs up as she helps direct cars through the touchless drive thru food distribution line at the West Houston Assistance Ministries Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020, in Houston. Many people in Houston and around the U.S. live paycheck to paycheck and were caught off guard by the economic fallout from the coronavirus that initially cost the nation 22 million jobs, with 10.7 million still unemployed. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke) (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) Organizations across the city are hosting holiday meal distribution events to help Houstonians.