WAYNE, Neb.— The holiday time is all about the season of giving and for one northeast Nebraska woman that means a lot more than presents.

Tessa Braun is a professor at Wayne State College and this is not her first rodeo when it comes to giving food to the community.

It all started when she was a little girl helping Grandma.

“I grew up in my Grandma Pam's Big Blue lunch bus is what it was called, serving food at auctions and catering for meals,” Braun said. “And then my mom kind of got into that with providing for funerals and meals in the community, and now she opened a café that she's open on the weekends in Verdigre.”

Braun’s family owns many places in Verdigre, the cafe, a bakery and a coffee shop.

Though Braun wanted to bring that spirit to Wayne, just a little different, it’s all free.

Her latest project was putting together over 30 of these bagged meals for the college food pantry.

“The students are provided the food, but they don't really know what to make with. So coming up with recipes that could be in little grab and go bags,” Braun said.

Earlier this year she hosted a freewill donation thanksgiving meal in Wayne and has given multiple cartloads of groceries to local pantries. Giving back and teaching her kids how to do the same.

“Wayne's a great community to be in, to raise children in. That's another part of it, having these opportunities to give back then shows our kids how to do that as well,” Braun said.

Her role at the college makes her understand the need for food even more.

“When you have students, they kind of feel like they become part of you too. So it feels really good to know that they're going to be able to go into the pantry if needed and grab and go and make a meal that we were able to provide for them,” Brauns said.

She said it’s all made possible by the generous donations of community members not only in money but their time as well.

Braun plans to do another thanksgiving meal in 2026 as well.