With the holiday season approaching, it's time again for the annual Hacienda Holiday Food Drive, taking place from November 1-December 31. The drive, now in its third year, encourages companies to donate food and money to the Alameda County Community Food Bank.

Last year, 42 Hacienda companies donated a total of 108,447 pounds of food and $11,379, dwarfing the previous year's contributions of over 35,000 pounds of food and $8,000.

Neighborly Competition

Once again, the company that donates the largest amount of combined food and cash will receive the Hacienda Full Plate Travelling Trophy. The prize has been held for two years running by Documentum, which donated over 100,000 pounds of food last year.

Even enormous contributions like that make up just a small amount of the total distributed by the Alameda County Community Food Bank. In fiscal 1996-97, the Food Bank distributed over 7 million pounds of food to more than 275 soup kitchens, food pantries, emergency shelters, day and senior centers. Local recipients include the Family Crisis Center, Interfaith Sharing, Inc., and Shepherd's Gate in Livermore and Bay Area Community Service in Pleasanton.

Signing Up

To participate in this year's Holiday Food Drive, contact Tom Gleason at the Alameda County Community Food Bank, (510) 568-3663.

The Food Bank provides materials to help guide and promote the drive within each company. Businesses can conduct their drives for a week or the full two months. All donations will be picked up by Food Bank personnel.

Information is also available from the Hacienda Owners Association, (925) 734-6500.

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