Since 1947 the Kiwanis Club of Kirkland has raised substantial money each year for a variety of local causes, but given the current state of the economy, few causes seem as critical as helping families who suddenly find themselves without a place to live.

For this reason, Kirkland Kiwanis is conducting their third annual all-you-can-eat Pancake Breakfast, with 100 percent of the net proceeds going to Kirkland Interfaith Transitions in Housing (KITH), an Eastside organization dedicated to providing transitional housing to needy families. Co-sponsors are KITH, and the neighborhood associations of Market, North Rose Hill, Highlands, South Rose Hill/Bridle Trails and Kingsgate (Evergreen).

This community event will run from 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 26, at the Peter Kirk Community Center, located at 352 Kirkland Avenue in downtown Kirkland. Breakfast will include pancakes, sausage, fruit and beverages. The suggested donation is $7 per person, although nobody will be turned away.

The fund-raiser breakfast will be held in conjunction with the 7 Hills of Kirkland bicycling event taking place on Memorial Day, May 28. Food will be prepared and served by volunteers from the Kiwanis Club of Kirkland, as well as Kiwanis Key Club members from Lake Washington High School, International Community School, and Juanita High School.

According to Walt Krueger, past president of Kirkland Kiwanis and co-chair of the Pancake Breakfast fund-raising event, the growth in the number of homeless people on the Eastside over the last three years has stretched KITH’s resources dramatically.

For this reason, the club’s goal in 2012 is to increase its contribution to KITH by more than 50 percent over what was raised last year.