The economy may be acting like a miserly “grinch” these days, but Kirkland’s spirit in the season of giving was alive and well Tuesday night at Kirkland City Council.

After thanking city neighborhoods for a bounty of food donations nearly spilling off their shelves, Kirkland Hopelink Center Manager Shona Koester <a href="announced their Neighborhood Challenge food drive had helped raise 21,702 pounds of food to help replentish their food bank.

Since July 2007, Kirkland residents have made nearly 18,000 visits to Hopelink’s Kirkland food bank. Overall, their Eastside network of food banks have seen a 71 percent increase in requests for emergency food bags and a 26 percent increase in the number of families served — widely seen as a result of the downward turn in the economy.

Koester also declared the Market Neighborhood had won the Neighborhood Challenge by giving 3,855 pounds of food, the largest number of donations per capita city-wide. The South Rose Hill/Bridle Trails, a more populous neighborhood, came a close second with 8,453 pounds and the Highlands came in third with 2,788 pounds.

The total numbers reflect donations collected throughout the community from early November through mid-December, including donations from the neighborhood challenge.

At City Council Tuesday night, Mayor James Lauinger awarded Market Neighborhood representative Penny Sweet a complimentary summer pool party for her neighborhood at Peter Kirk Pool for winning the contest.

“It’s a relief to see our shelves so full of food again even though the need for donations continues to rise,” said Koester. “Every item donated during the drive will soon go to feed a hungry family.”

Several neighborhoods participated in the neighborhood challenge to collect the most pounds of food per population living within the neighborhood. Collection sites were set up within the neighborhoods for ease of drop off. Despite nearly a foot of snow on the streets last month, Hopelink and the City’s Parks Maintenance staff regularly collected the food items and transported them to the food bank at the Kirkland Hopelink Center.

“The City Council appreciates the collaborative efforts by all those involved,” says Mayor James Lauinger. “The results speak volumes to the caring of the Kirkland community.”

Food bank and cash donations are accepted year round by Hopelink. For center locations, go to www.hope-link.org or call 425-869-6000.

Kirkland Food Drive Collection Totals

(pounds of food)

Neighborhood Challenge Food Drive Results

Neighborhoods

Juanita = 461 pounds

North Rose Hill = 320 pounds

Market = 3,855 pounds

Norkirk = 424 pounds

Highlands = 2,788 pounds

Moss Bay = 508 pounds

Everest = 849 pounds

Central Houghton = 554 pounds

South Rose Hill/Bridle Trails = 8,453 pounds

Other

City of Kirkland Employee Food Drive = 2,240 pounds

Kirkland Youth Council Kick Off Collection Event = 1,250

TOTAL = 21,702 pounds