Eastside Firefighters Join Hopelink to "End Summer Hunger"

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Nineteen percent of students in the Bellevue School District and 12 percent in the Lake Washington School District receive free or reduced cost meals during the school year and miss that nutrition when school is not in session. The "End Summer Hunger" campaign fills Hopelink’s food bank shelves to be ready for the increased food demand.
REDMOND, Wash. – Bellevue Fire Department, Redmond Fire Department, Kirkland Fire Department and Woodinville Fire and Life Safety District are joining together to hold a special food and fund drive March 1-April 7, 2006, as part of Hopelink’s End Summer Hunger campaign.  Hopelink, a social services agency celebrating 35 years of serving low-income and homeless residents in north and east King County, conducts its annual End Summer Hunger campaign to gain food, and funds to purchase food, that will be distributed during the high-demand summer months at Hopelink’s six food banks.  As part of this campaign, four Eastside fire departments are asking the public to drop off non-perishable food and monetary donations at their fire stations from now until April 7, 2006.

In the Bellevue and Lake Washington School Districts, 19 percent and 12 percent of students, respectively, receive free or reduced cost breakfasts and lunches during the school year.  When school is out for the summer, those children’s increased nutritional needs put a great strain on already stressed household budgets.  To help children get the nutrition they need this summer, participating Eastside fire departments are asking the public to generously donate food or cash at any of their stations.  For information about the locations of fire stations in the Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, or Woodinville communities, citizens can call the fire department serving the community in question:  Bellevue Fire Department, 425.452.6995; Redmond Fire Department, 425.556.2200; Kirkland Fire Department, 425.587.3650; Woodinville Fire and Life Safety District, 425.483.2131.

For more information about Hopelink or its End Summer Hunger campaign, please contact Ben Martinka at Hopelink at 425.869.7835 or benm@hope-link.org.

About Hopelink
Since 1971, Hopelink has served homeless and low-income families, children, seniors and people with disabilities in north and east King County by promoting self-sufficiency for all members of our community and helping people make lasting change. Hopelink assists people with meeting their needs for food, shelter, homelessness prevention, family development and stabilization, transportation and adult literacy skills. For more information on Hopelink and its services, call 425.869.6000 or visit www.hope-link.org.

Media Contacts
Denise Stephens, Public Relations Specialist, office: 425.869.2440, denises@hope-link.org
Glen Miller, Communications Manager, office: 425.869.6025, cell: 206.790.5410, glenm@hope-link.org