A lot of people think of food drives as something that happens around Thanksgiving and Christmas. But did you know that summer is one of the hardest times of the year for many families? Children who receive free breakfast and lunch at school don't have that option in the summer. Families that are already stretching a tight food budget have to find food for those ten extra meals per child every week. In the 2009-2010 school year, more than half of Del Norte students received free school meals.
This summer, Safeway is recognizing this need and holding a food drive in July to help Community Assistance Network meet the need. Starting tomorrow -- July 6th -- and running through July 24th, all Safeway stores will have a display of prepackaged bags at the front of the store. The bags contain pasta, canned vegetables, canned tuna, mac and cheese, peanut butter, and more. All you have to do to help CAN feed your neighbors is pick up a bag as you begin your shopping. At the checkout, you'll be charged the $10 donation (which will appear on your receipt for tax purposes), and the checker will mark the bag as paid. Drop it off in the collection barrels on your way out of the store. It's that easy!
CAN will pick up the donated bags as frequently as the barrels are filled. (Can you help make it every day for the whole drive?) The non-perishable goods in the bags will help provide basics for families and children served by the food bank -- our neighbors!
Hunger is a serious issue at any age, but children are especially vulnerable. Research shows that children who experience hunger:
- Are more likely to go to the hospital
- Are more likely to be overweight than children who eat three balanced meals a day
- Have trouble concentrating in school and therefore have less success academically
Thank you, Safeway! And thank YOU for helping make this food drive a success!
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