Casino participating in food drive

In recognition of Hunger Action Month, Spirit Mountain Casino is holding a H.A.M. Food Drive to benefit Marion-Polk Food Share by accepting non-perishable food items from Sept. 1 through Sept. 29.

Casino guests who bring in a bag of non-perishable food of three items or more will receive one drawing ticket for weekly cash drawings of $50 to $500 with a limit of one ticket per day. Weekly drawings will be held Monday, Sept. 8, 15, 22 and 29, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Marion-Polk Food Share's 10 most wanted food items are peanut butter, tuna and canned meats, flour, canned vegetables, canned fruit, pasta, shelf-stable dairy, canned tomato products, cereal and canned soups.

"We are excited to partner with Marion-Polk Food Share to help feed local families in need," said Interim General Manager Stan Dillon. "Hunger Action Month is a reminder to everyone that hunger exists in your community. Supporting the efforts to end hunger makes an event like this special to the Spirit Mountain family."

Marion-Polk Food Share is the regional food bank serving Marion and Polk counties through a network of almost 100 hunger-relief partners. As the second largest of 20 regional food banks in the Oregon Food Bank Network, the Food Share collects and distributes nutritional foods to food pantries, meal sites, foster homes, low-income day care centers, shelters and senior housing sites.

Last year, the network charities distributed more than 9 million pounds of food, 113,000 emergency food boxes and 641,000 prepared meals to hungry individuals and families in Marion and Polk counties.