Holiday giving: Fill a fire truck with food (and other ways to help on Super Saturday)

Rural-Metro fire fighters are asking the community to fill their truck with donations of non-perishable food items for St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance.

Requested food items include peanut butter, tuna, canned fruit and vegetables, rice, pasta and cereal. Cash donations also are welcome.

For each dollar raised, the Food Bank can distribute the equivalent of seven meals into the community.

Date: Saturday, Nov. 19
Time: Noon to 4pm
Location: Bashas’ Supermarket, 5115 N. Litchfield Rd., Litchfield Park

The event is part of St. Mary’s fifth annual “Super Saturday” food drive. Visit any of the following additional locations from 9am to 3pm Saturday, Nov. 19, to drop off food or cash donations. The organization hopes to reach a goal of 6,000 donated turkeys for holiday boxes.

• St. Mary’s Food Bank Stardust Campus (2831 N. 31st Ave)
• St. Mary’s Westside Facility (13050 W. Elm Street in Surprise)
• Albertsons Desert Ridge (21001 N. Tatum Blvd.)
• Albertsons Glendale (20255 N. 59th Ave.)
• Albertsons Peoria (8240 W. Deer Valley Road)
• Albertsons Surprise (16750 W. Bell Road)
• Albertsons Scottsdale (2785 N. Scottsdale Road)
• Albertsons Via Linda (11475 E. Via Linda)
• Albertsons Flagstaff (1416 E. Route 66)
• Harkins Christown 14 (1620 W. Montebello)
• Harkins Scottsdale 101 14 (7000 E. Mayo Blvd.)
• Harkins Arrowhead Fountains 18 (16046 N. Arrowhead Fountains Center)
• Harkins Gateway Pavilions 18 (10250 W. McDowell Road)
• Harkins Tempe Marketplace 16 (2000 E. Rio Salado Drive)
• Harkins Scottsdale Shea 14 (7354 E. Shea Blvd.)
• Harkins Flagstaff 11 (1959 Woodlands Village Blvd.)

Just look for the giant inflatable turkeys and smiling volunteers.

Your chance to make Thanksgiving happy for the Valley’s needy families

If turkey donations don’t pick up soon, many of the Valley’s needy families could be left empty handed this Thanksgiving.

Photo courtesy of United Food Bank.

So United Food Bank has extended hours at its drop-off sites in the hopes of encouraging more donations of turkeys and non-perishable fixings like canned vegetables, boxed stuffing and packaged mash potatoes.

“We know that the economy is affecting everyone right now. For many, putting a Thanksgiving dinner on your own table is putting a strain on your budget, let alone donating one,” says Bob Evans, President and CEO at United Food Bank. “But if everyone pitches in something — whether it’s a dollar, a turkey, or some nonperishable food — we can feed more people this Thanksgiving.”

Hours for incoming donations at the United Food Bank facility at 245 S. Nina Dr. in Mesa:

8am-5pm through Friday, Nov. 18
8am-noon Saturday, Nov. 19
8am-8pm Monday through Wednesday, Nov. 21-23

A United Food Bank refrigerated truck will be on hand at these locations this weekend:

9am-5:30pm Saturday, Nov. 19 at the Gilbert Days Parade and Expo

6-9pm Saturday, Nov. 19 at the Benefit Concert at Superstition Springs Center

Visit unitedfoodbank.org to see a complete list of off-site turkey drive locations.

School-age kids can join the fight against hunger

United Food Bank has come up with a way to teach school-age children about philanthropy and community service.

By donating one jar of peanut butter and one jar of jelly at a participating “Peanut Butter and Jelly Drive” location your child becomes a member of the Kids’ Lunch Bunch Club. New members of the club receive a certificate and a token of appreciation from participating business.

“Every night one out of four kids in Arizona goes to bed hungry,” says Bob Evans, United Food Bank President and CEO.

The program is designed to raise children’s awareness of hunger in Arizona and make them part of the solution. “This is a kids-helping-kids program,” says Evans.

Below is a list of “Peanut Butter and Jelly Food Drive” participating businesses, food drive dates and the item children who show up will receive.

AUGUST  1-31

Children’s Museum of Phoenix
215 N 7th St, Phoenix
childrensmuseumofphoenix.org
Participation enters your child in a drawing for a free membership (admits two) at the Climber level.

Bounce U
1166 South Gilbert Rd, #110, Gilbert
bounceu.com
Open bounce pass.

Arizona Museum for Youth
35 N Robson St, Mesa
arizonamuseumforyouth.com
Free admission pass, 1 per family (some restrictions apply).

My Pigsty Furniture
1528 W San Pedro #7, Gilbert
mypigsty.com
$10 off coupon and a special prize.

Superstition Springs Center
6555 E Southern Ave, Mesa
Superstition Springs Center
Special PB&J drive participation sticker.

August 1-7

Yodipity
yodipityyogurt.com
1033 N Dobson Rd, Mesa
15% off purchase.

August 19-21

Gameworks
5000 Arizona Mills Circle, Tempe
arizonamills.com
30 minutes of unlimited game play.

Fiddlesticks
1155 West Elliot Rd, Tempe
fiddlesticksaz.com
Unlimited ride wristband.

Brunswick Zone XL
1160 South Gilbert Rd, Gilbert
bowlbrunswick.com
Coupon for one free game of bowling.

United Food Bank is a private nonprofit organization that provides hunger relief/food assistance by collecting, acquiring, storing and distributing food and related commodities through a network of partner social services agencies in the East Valley, eastern Maricopa County, Gila and Pinal counties and southern Apache and Navajo counties. Learn more.