This morning, Mayor McGinn put out a call for Seattleites to donate food, money, and time to their local food banks. People in our area are already answering that call – here are updates we’ve collected in the past few days:

STUDENTS COLLECT TURKEY MONEY: Sharon from Union Gospel Mission shares the photo of Our Lady of Guadalupe School students Alex and Hope, who she says stood outside West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) for two hours last weekend and raised $274.39 to buy turkeys for UGM, inspired by a news report. She quotes Alex, 12, as saying: “Homeless people who come here for a meal is a blessing. I have food to last me through the night but homeless people don’t. And a meal helps them stay healthy and have a fuller stomach then they would otherwise,” and Hope, 13, as saying: “Food is important. Being homeless is hard. Some people starve to death. I wanted to make a difference. It feels good.”

CLINICS’ FOOD-DRIVE WRAPUP: You might recall our reports on Sound Physical Therapy organizing a food drive as a “competition” involving 9 PT clinics in the area, in honor of National Physical Therapy Month in October. Sound PT sent word that together, the participating clinics (all listed here) collected 1,500 pounds of food for the West Seattle Food Bank – three-quarters of a ton!

LAFARGE FOOD DRIVE, HAPPENING NOW: Lashanna at Lafarge sends a reminder of their monthlong drive – and an invitation for you to participate:

Just a community reminder that Lafarge needs your help with our annual food drive to benefit Northwest Harvest! Please drop off food at 5400 W. Marginal Way SW – there is a donation box right by the staircase and fountain!!!

WE(st) Seattle puts the “we” in community – we found the hummmmm ……. we built a park….. we can feed those in need too! Please donate today.

PRE-THANKSGIVING ‘FOODRAISER’ DANCE CLASS AHEAD: Jenna at Gildenfire is organizing this kids’ class for next Tuesday (November 20):

Next Tuesday I am going to teach a free-with-2-cans-of-food dance class for ages 2-4 with parent or caregiver to benefit the West Seattle Food Bank. The class will be 10:45 on Tuesday morning at Highland Park Improvement Club and is open to residents of West Seattle and White Center. The class is Creative Movement. We will do a Brain Dance Warm-Up, play some dance games like Freeze Dance and Underwater Adventure, do a Dancing Story and end with an amazing obstacle course and open play time for kids to practice their hula-hooping, somersaulting, mini-trampoline, ball skills and free dancing with scarves.

HOW TO HELP LOCAL FOOD BANKS DIRECTLY: Two days ago, we published the Thanksgiving-season needs lists for the WS Food Bank and for the White Center Food Bank. While the needs range beyond holiday turkeys, if you’re interested in giving those, there are special dropoff hours at WS Food Bank (35th and Morgan) this Saturday and at Fauntleroy UCC (9140 California SW) on behalf of WC Food Bank this Sunday. All the details are in the earlier reports:
—WS Food Bank here
—WC Food Bank here