Mountlake Terrace city staff donated 2,240 items to the Concern for Neighbors Food Bank earlier this week to help local families in need on Thanksgiving.

The 1,500-pound donation was delivered to the organization’s director, Carla Brown, early Monday morning by city staff, who participated in a one-month employee food drive. The drive was led by Shannon Olsen, a member of the city’s community and economic development team, with support from Recreation and Parks Event Coordinator Andrew Appelwick.

Concern for Neighbors Food Bank is a Mountlake Terrace-based nonprofit that provides food and personal items, including diapers, to those in need throughout the year.

Olsen said the goal was to collect “as much as feasibly possible,” which turned into a departmental competition on who could donate the most. The winner was the public Works and operations engineering division.

“It was a short food drive, and I’m so proud of everyone,” Olsen said.

The donations were divided into Thanksgiving delivery bags, including holiday meal sides and gift cards for a turkey or preferred main course.

Appelwick said the city has partnered with Concern for Neighbors Food Bank for the past 10 years, starting with a donation drop-off at the Recreation Pavilion. Within the last few months, a second bin was added at the Civic Campus inside the city hall lobby.

Concern for Neighbors also participates in city events such as National Night Out Against Crime and Juneteenth: More Than a Day.

Although this donation push was focused on the holidays, the food bank takes donations and provides help to those in need year-round.

Concern for Neighbors Food Bank’s most wanted items are:

– Personal hygiene items such as bath tissue, soap, shampoo and toothpaste

– Single-use laundry soap pods and dish soap

– Cooking oil

– Dairy goods like milk, cheese, and yogurt

– Fresh produce

– Rice and pasta

– Canned meats such as tuna and chicken

– Coffee and tea.

– Low-sugar cereal and oatmeal

– Meal helpers

– Canned fruit

– Peanut butter and jam/jelly

– Soup

– Canned tomatoes

– Diapers in sizes 4, 5, and 6 and baby wipes

– Dog and cat food

They do not accept dented, rusty or home-canned goods.

For more information about Concern for Neighbors Food Bank donations, click here.

— Story by Rick Sinnett