Yum Yum Gyros & More, a locally owned Mediterranean and Greek restaurant in Canyon Lake, Texas, is bringing back its Giving Tree for the 2026 holiday season. Owner Kimmie Proper started the program last year, helping 17 local families, many with multiple children. This year, with business slower and winter historically harder on Canyon Lake-area businesses, Proper expects the list of families in need to grow.
Last year, names came through Mountain Valley Middle School. As Christmas neared, a few children's tags remained. Proper bought additional gifts so every child would receive a present. "It takes a community, which is kind of the entire idea of Saint Nicholas," she said. She also ended up with extra gifts, which went to the school for students who needed some Christmas cheer.
This year, Proper is enlisting the community's help. "It takes a community, and that's what we are here in Canyon Lake," she said. "People are just tighter here; we help each other out when in need. And I need business, especially if it means I can buy more presents and keep the lights on!" Customers can find the Giving Tree at the restaurant alongside a menu of homemade Mediterranean and Greek comfort food, including traditional gyros with in-house tzatziki, house-made hummus in varieties like roasted red pepper, feisty feta, dill and pesto, plus salads, specialty pizzas, falafel and baklava. The kitchen also serves soups such as chicken pot pie, broccoli cheddar, potato, chili and taco soup, each with garlic-butter pita. "I sell out of my hot soups in the dead of summer," Proper said.
The Giving Tree matters because it shows how a small rural business can anchor community giving, especially when economic conditions tighten. Proper's philosophy of supporting local drives both her food and her charity work. Community partners and customers can participate by selecting a name and contributing gifts. For more information, visit yumyumgyros.com or stop by the restaurant at 1408 Sattler Road. More stories about the people building Texas are at buildingtexasshow.com.
