Community Bag-A-Thon Food Drive Underway at Interfaith Community Services

Interfaith Community Services is gearing up to collect more than 40,000 pounds of food this month during the annual Community Bag-A-Thon Food Drive. Food is being collected throughout the month of October at the ICS Northwest and Eastside locations. The event will culminate in a food drop-off event on Saturday, October 29 from 9 a.m. to noon.

More than 130,000 people in Pima County are food insecure, according to data from Feeding America. That’s 12.6% of the population—higher than the statewide average of 11.1%. With the help of monetary and food donations from the community, ICS can serve more than one-third of that food-insecure population each year through the Northwest Food Bank and mobile food distribution sites.

Bag-A-Thon brings in necessary inventory to stock the food banks during the busy holiday season. In addition to food bank staples like peanut butter, canned meats, spaghetti sauce and pasta, and macaroni and cheese, community members are encouraged to donate stuffing mix, instant potatoes, and whole, frozen chickens or turkeys. Those who can’t make it to an ICS location this month to drop off a donation can use a secure online form to give the monetary equivalent of a bag of food.

“In the last few months, members of the Tucson community have demonstrated outstanding concern for their neighbors, donating more than 14,000 jars during our summer Peanut Butter Party and more than 12,700 pounds of food in just one weekend for 9/11 Day of Service,” says Tom McKinney, CEO of ICS. “An outpouring of support during Bag-A-Thon will continue to ensure that a person in need is never turned away without help at our food banks.”

Donations are being collected throughout October at two ICS locations:

ICS Northwest Food Bank

Monday-Friday 8 a.m.–4 p.m.; Saturday 8–11 a.m.

2820 West Ina Road

ICS Eastside Food Drop-Off

Monday-Friday 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

8701 East Old Spanish Trail

(at Camino Seco on the campus of New Spirit Lutheran Church)

The final food collection event will be held at both locations on Saturday, October 29 from 9 a.m. to noon.

Community Bag-A-Thon was started more than a decade ago by local offices of the financial services firm Edward Jones, and the company continues to be actively involved. To find out how your company, school, organization or family can participate this month, visit icstucson.org/bag-a-thon or contact Iliana Recinos at irecinos@icstucson.org