TUCSON—Twenty-two Pima County Public Library (PCPL) branches are participating in Interfaith Community Services (ICS) fourth Freedom From Hunger food drive by collecting nonperishable food on Saturday and Sunday, June 23 and 24. Donations collected during the Freedom From Hunger drive will go to the ICS Food Bank to help families in need throughout Pima County. The most-needed items are pasta and spaghetti sauce, chili and other canned meals, cereal, peanut butter, and canned fruits. Visit www.icstucson.org for a listing of participating library branches, locations and hours.

According to Feeding America, over 158,000 PimaCounty residents struggle with hunger and nearly 58,000 of those people are children. Arizona ties Oregon for the highest rate of food-insecure children in the nation.

Amber Mathewson, Library Services Manager at PCPL, sees the library as a venue to help others. “We look forward to the event and hope that this generates much needed food for members of the Greater Tucson Area.We appreciate that ICS invited the library to be a partner for this important cause.”

“The Pima County Public Library is a vital community resource, and ICS is grateful for the library’s help raising awareness about hunger in Pima County,” said Deborah Carr, ICS Development Director. “The donations from library patrons will go a long way to helping ICS meet the needs of hungry families.”

Last summer, Freedom From Hunger collected over seven tons of food for ICS. With the community’s help, the agency hopes to make this year’s event just as successful. ICS invites businesses and organizations to join the “Freedom” effort by hosting a food drive. Call Curt Balko, ICS Food Bank Coordinator at 297-2738 ext. 231 to make arrangements or to serve as a collection site.

About ICS: ICS provides food, job assistance, and emergency financial assistance to Pima County residents in need and mobilizes volunteers to assist seniors and disabled individuals with Mobile Meals, transportation, home repairs, calls and visits, and health and safety referrals. ICS offers compassionate support by connecting over 600 volunteers and 65 faith communities with our community’s most vulnerable residents.From nutritious food to health evaluations to a ride to the doctor’s office, ICS assists nearly 21,000 people a year. ICS has received Charity Navigator’s highest four-star rating three years in a row for its fiscal responsibility and best practices.

About Pima County Public Library: The Pima County Public Library (PCPL), which is headquartered in Tucson, enriches lives and builds community through opportunities to learn, know, interact and grow. With 28 libraries serving Tucson and the surrounding communities of Arivaca, Green Valley, Sahuarita, South Tucson, Ajo, Marana, OroValley and Catalina, PCPL provides a wide range of free services that contribute to the economic development of the community. For more information, visit www.library.pima.gov or call 791-4010.

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Contact:

AlisonBetts, Communications and Grants Specialist, Interfaith Community Services, www.icstucson.org, 520.297.2738 ext. 229, abetts@icstucson.org

Kenya Johnson, Community Relations Manager, Pima County Public Library, www.library.pima.gov, 520.594.5610; Kenya.Johnson@pima.gov

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