The need is still great in our community. There are still hungry elementary school students showing up at school. The free and reduced price meals help during the week and Pantry Packs help most weekends, but nothing covers the school breaks other than the food bank and this program. For reasons unknown, there are barriers to using the food bank for many families that would qualify. Our efforts are significant for these kids and their families.

We’ve made it simple for you to be a solution to fill gaps identified by teachers and school counselors. You shop for a box of food (shopping list provided) and drop off the box at one of two sites the morning of Nov. 22. That afternoon the box is in the home of a family who really needs it. Each box is under $50.

The two sites where boxes are collected and distributed are in north Kirkland, at 13220 NE 132nd St., and south Kirkland, at 7720 126th Ave. NE.

Visit http://nourishingnetworks.net/kirkland-food-boxes to find the sign-up links to bring food boxes, including the standard shopping list, and also to volunteer to help move food boxes at each site.

We aren’t set up to take cash, but we can make connections with members of the Eastside Timebank or a youth group to shop for a limited number of those who would not otherwise be able to donate.

Send any requests for this assistance to daveasher@comcast.net.

Future opportunities to provide food boxes this school year will be in conjunction with Winter break on Dec. 15, Mid-Winter Break on Feb. 14, and Spring break on March 30.

Thanks very much for your generosity!

Toby Nixon is with Kirkland Nourishing Network.