Mayor Joan McBride proclaimed September as Recovery month and Eastside Month of Concern for the Hungry. Both proclamations were made during the Sept. 4 city council meeting with the goal of bringing attention to two very debilitating issues.

According to the 2010 National survey on Drug Use and Health, 2.6 million adults are affected by substance abuse addiction and 31.3 million adults received services for mental health problems. A Feeding America’s Hunger study in 2010 says that 37 million americans are served by the organization annually.

“Kirkland is a compassionate town and we are a welcoming city,” McBride said. “We have citizens who struggle with addiction and recovery and we need to be supportive of them and the great nonprofits that help them with those issues.

“Same with hunger awareness. Sometimes when you live in an affluent city, sometimes people don’t realize it could be in your own neighborhood.”

Recovery month is now in its 23rd year and was requested by the King County Community Organizing Program. This year’s theme is “Join the Voices for Recovery. It’s worth it.”

The mayor’s proclamation calls upon people to observe recovery this month by becoming involved with programs, activities and ceremonies to support a healthy mental health and addiction recovery.

Kirkland’s concern for feeding the hungry stems from a five year collaboration with Redmond, Bellevue, Issaquah, Sammamish and Mercer Island in support of the Seattle Emergency Feeding Program.

In addition to recognizing hunger this month, neighborhood associations and volunteers will collect nonperishable food donations on Sept. 15 and 29 in local stores. Seventy-four volunteers have signed up but the City hopes to have at least 120. The annual Mayor’s Day of Concern for the Hungry is on Sept. 22 with the Emergency Feeding Program.

“No parent should have to send a child to school hungry, no baby without the comfort of the feedings needed for mental and physical growth, no elderly person’s health should be jeopardized by lack of appropriate foods,” McBride states in her proclamation.

Hopelink communications manager Glen Miller said that the mayor’s proclamation helps “drive in new donations” by creating awareness of the thousands who hunger.

Donations can be made to Hopelink, Renewal Food Bank, Issaquah Food Bank, the Mercer Island Food Pantry and the ARAS Foundation throughout September.