Last year, the Queen Anne Food Bank collected the equivalent of 25,000 pounds of food over 10 days, in the form of both foodstuffs and cash donations, during its first annual Fill the Cup event.
That was between more than 30 Queen Anne and South Lake Union organizations with donation bins, and 52 individuals and organizations donating food or dollars.
This year, organizers are hoping to best that mark.
Between Sept. 12 and 21, the Queen Anne Food Bank has set a goal of 30,000 pounds of food to fight hunger in the community.
There are two ways to participate in this year’s event (sponsored by Athletic Awards); by hosting either a food drive or fund drive (or both).
Those interested in holding the former can email events@qafb.org to reserve one (or more) food collection bins. The food bank will then send a participant packet including promotional fliers and a “most needed items” list, and will schedule a time to drop off the bins. All that’s left after that is to tell customers, employees, neighbors, and friends to bring food to fill your bins, or to Athletic Awards in South Lake Union by the 21st.
The other option is to host a fund drive, with the food bank able to leverage its wholesale buying power to purchase two pounds of food for every $1 donation, on average. Interested parties can go to www.qafb.org/new-events/ to register as an individual or company, or to create or join a team.
The teams and individuals that raise the most pounds, whether through a food drive, fund drive, or combination of both, will be honored with a plaque from Athletic Awards.
All Fill the Cup participants and volunteers are also invited to a happy hour at Citizen Six (945 Elliott Ave. W., #201) on Oct. 5 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Each guest will receive a free drink ticket and appetizers, and the top donors will be recognized, with prizes for the most pounds collected, most dollars collected, and most combined.
For more information on the Queen Anne Food Bank or Fill the Cup, visit www.qafb.org.