Photo from Food Finders. 

On Friday, June 1 local food rescue nonprofit, Food Finders, will launch its “Summer to End Hunger” food drive to collect food for families with children. The drive will run through August 31.

Businesses, clubs, scout groups, neighborhoods and anyone interested in helping fewer children go hungry are invited to get involved. Food Finders will send a collection bin and signage for those wanting to help support the drive by collecting non perishable food items.

“Summer is a rough time for many local families as their children are at a much higher risk of food insecurity when they aren’t receiving the federally funded school meals,” Food Finders Executive Director Patti Larson said in a statement. “During the summer it has been reported that only 19 percent of those same children participate in a summer meal program, but programs like this Food Drive are helping increase that number so that fewer children go hungry once school is out.”

Volunteers can also sign up to help during the summer to sort and box the donated food for delivery to Food Finders’ partner agencies in need, such as Boys and Girls clubs, youth centers, shelters and pantries that primarily serve families with children, according to the announcement.

“Programs like this and others available through parks or other nonprofits have an extensive impact,” Larson stated. “They often help ensure parents aren’t forced to seek additional employment, which would require childcare, an expense they might not be able to afford in addition to more groceries.”

Anyone interested in supporting this drive to reduce summer hunger, please contact Diana Lara at (562) 283-1400 x101 or [email protected] for more information. A complete list of needed items can be found on the Food Finders website here.

Donated non perishable food items will be accepted at the Food Finders office in Lakewood at 3744 North Industry Avenue, #401.