Help the hungry at an essential time

School’s out for summer – but hunger never takes a vacation. In fact, summertime tends to be one of the toughest times for families in need. Of the 16,000 people that 2nd Harvest feeds each month, nearly 7,000 are children under the age of 18.

This weekend marks The Spokesman-Review’s 10th Annual Food Drive. Each year, the newspaper partners with 2nd Harvest Inland Northwest to combat hunger in our community. This year the food drive takes place on Saturday June 10.

Last year over 54,000 pounds of food were collected, and 2nd Harvest’s Director of Donor and Community Relations, Ann Price, said those donations helped provide nearly 40,000 meals during the summer months.

“Food collected during The Spokesman-Review Food Drive is vital to providing thousands of meals and snacks for hungry kids during the summer,” Price added.

If you’d like to help this year, fill the bright yellow donation bag that came inside this week’s pinch with non-perishable food items. Every donation is appreciated, but items such as peanut butter, canned meats (ham, chicken and tuna), hearty soups, macaroni and cheese, canned fruits and vegetables, boxed mashed potatoes, dried fruits, pasta, oatmeal and healthy cereals come high on the donation list.

On the evening of Friday, June 9, place your filled yellow bag where your carrier delivers your weekly pinch. On Saturday morning, June 10, a volunteer will collect your bag. Approximately 400 Spokesman-Review carriers and 80 volunteers will collect your contributions this year, all of which go directly to your neighborhood food bank.

If your bag has not been collected by noon on June 10, please bring your non-perishable food donations to any fire station in Spokane, the Spokane Valley or North Idaho.

The Spokesman-Review, 2nd Harvest Food Bank and the Community Food Banks of Cheney, Chewelah, Coeur d’Alene, Colfax, Colville, Hayden Lake, Kettle Falls, Medical Lake, Post Falls and Pullman thank you for your support.