Hopelink Launches Campaign to End Summer Hunger for Low-Income School Children

REDMOND, Wash. – Hopelink, a social services agency celebrating 35 years of serving low-income and homeless residents in north and east King County, is launching its annual End Summer Hunger campaign in March.  The goal of the four-month fundraising drive is to purchase food that will be distributed during the high-demand summer months at Hopelink’s six food banks in north and east King County.

An average of 13 percent of school children in school districts in north and east King County 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.  Parents whose children receive subsidized meals are already struggling to provide their families with the basic necessities and their budgets frequently cannot absorb additional food expense.  Families with two working parents must also find ways to pay for summer daycare, further stressing the family budget, and sometimes this even leads to an inability to pay rent or their mortgage, putting them at risk for homelessness.

"More than 11,000 children in north and east King County receive free or reduced-cost breakfast and lunch," said Doreen Marchione, President and CEO of Hopelink.  "When those children, who normally receive two subsidized hot meals each day, are home for the summer, the household experiences a strain on their resources.  End Summer Hunger is a way for Hopelink to help those families supplement the increased need."

The grassroots campaign calls upon the support of individuals, businesses, schools and organizations to meet the increased summertime nutritional needs of low-income families.  This program is particularly important because donations historically drop during the summer, leaving food banks with lower than normal supplies.  Schools that support the program encourage children in classrooms to collect coins.  Businesses and organizations hold food drives, fund drives, or both, according to what works best for each entity.  Individuals who wish to support the summer need can donate cash through Hopelink’s website at www.hope-link.org.

Pacific Construction Systems is presenting sponsor of the 2006 campaign.  Additional sponsors include Seattle’s Child Magazine, Radio Disney, and Olympus Press.

For more information about this campaign, please contact Ben Martinka 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, child development, 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