Henry’s Farmers Markets is conducting its fourth annual summer food drive from now until Aug. 27 to benefit the San Diego Food Bank, which serves more than 200,000 people in San Diego County each month.
Residents are encouraged to drop off non-perishable food items at participating Henry’s Farmers Markets, including the University City location at 3358 Governor Drive.
Residents who donate 10 or more items will receive a free pair of tickets to the Wave Waterpark in Vista.
“This is a win-win for everyone,” said Dennis Clyde, store director of the Point Loma Henry’s Farmers Market.
Clyde explained that the effort benefits all parties: Henry’s supports a valued local organization, the food bank collects food during the slow summer months and donors are rewarded with a cool day of summer fun at the waterpark.
“During the summer months there is an especially larger need [for donations] due to the fact that there are not school lunches available to many of the children who would normally be eligible for free school lunches,” said Gary McDonald, food bank president and CEO.
The summer is the slowest time of the year in terms of receiving donations, he explained.
“People just don’t think about hungry people during the summer as much as they do during the November and December time frame,” McDonald said. “Our donations go way down beginning in January.”
Food items needed all year long include canned tuna, chicken and stew, canned fruits, vegetables and juices, chili, soup, cereal, evaporated and powdered milk, pasta and nutritious snack items for children. Non-food items such as toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, cleaning supplies, paper products, diapers and detergent are also in high demand.
“When we heard that 48 percent of the people served by the food bank are under the age of 18, and that 16 percent are children 5 years old and younger, we knew we had to do something to help,” said Al Bercuson, director of operations for Henry’s Farmers Markets, in a press release.
The San Diego Food Bank did not set a specific goal for this effort in hopes that the community will step up to the challenge.
“We just hope that people will be generous, because the need is great … The holiday food lasts us until the spring, then we are hurting again in terms of the food that we have on hand,” McDonald said.
For more information about Henry’s food drive, visit the San Diego Food Bank’s Web site, www.sandiegofoodbank.org, or call (866) 350-FOOD (3663).