PORT ANGELES — The 21st annual Community Tuna Fish Drive begins today.
The annual drive, which benefits area food banks, will continue through Monday, April 6.
Individuals, businesses, clubs, churches and organizations are invited to participate by donating cans of tuna fish.
For convenience, collection barrels will be at a number of Port Angeles locations, including the former Albertsons store — which will reopen as a Haggen store Thursday — Safeway East, Safeway Lincoln, First Federal branches and the Port Angeles Food Bank.
Donating tuna benefits the food banks in two ways.
It provides clients with a protein source that is relatively inexpensive, easy to store and simple to prepare.
Also, the food banks can use the money they would have spent on tuna to purchase other much needed commodities.
Donations of 5-ounce cans of tuna has saved the Port Angeles Food Bank $222,375 over the past 20 years, food bank officials said.
The goal of this year’s Community Tuna Drive is to collect 20,000 cans of tuna fish, which is approximately the number of cans the Port Angeles Food Bank distributes annually.
Tuna also will be gladly accepted for any other food bank/food distribution program on the North Olympic Peninsula.
Specific distribution designations can be made at the time the tuna is donated.
For more information, contact Community Tuna Drive Chairman Tim Crowley of the Olympic Kiwanis Club at 360-457-5933 or email tcrowley@wavecable.com.
