(ABC 6 News) – The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train brings the holiday spirit across North America for the 25th year.

Hundreds of families in Austin showed up to the Milwaukee Road building where the train stopped on Thursday evening.

There was live music from Breland and Tenille Townes.

“This is like really awesome. It’s fun seeing the band, and last time I came here, I don’t even remember cause I was little,” said ten-year-old Caden.

The train is spreading more than holiday cheer; it’s also spreading awareness of food insecurity and donating to local food banks at every stop.

It’s raised over $22.5 million and more than five million pounds of food for local food shelves in the U.S. and Canada. This year the holiday train donated $4,500 to the Austin Salvation Army.

“In 2022, we helped 10,075 people, this year we helped 16,929, and there is some duplication in that count, but that was a 68% increase in need that we saw for our food shelf,” said Jeff Strickler, corp. officer with the Austin Salvation Army.

Strickler says the donation from the holiday train will go a long way in stocking those food shelves and helping people in the community.