Help Others by Supporting the Annual SBCO Food Drive on March 2-14th | Community

The SaddleBrooke Community Outreach (SBCO) annual Food Drive is accepting donations of food as well as money to support the Tri-Community Food Bank (TCFB) based in Mammoth. TCFB serves needy families living in Mammoth, San Manuel, Oracle and the Dudleyville/Aravaipa area. On a monthly basis, TCFB serves about 549 households with 1,620 individuals. In the Tri-Community area, 20% of households live below the poverty level and 10% are below 50% of the poverty level. Recent increases in the cost of gasoline, food and utilities have a significant impact on families already struggling to make ends meet.

Monetary contributions can be made online or with checks. Online donations can be made at the SBCO website: community-outreach.org. Checks, made payable to SaddleBrooke Community Outreach (please put your unit number on the memo line), can be delivered to your Food Drive Unit Captain or mailed or hand delivered to the SBCO office at 63675 E. SaddleBrooke Blvd, Suite L., Tucson, AZ 85739 (in the SaddleBrooke business complex). Office hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.

All monetary donations go directly to grocery purchases and related expenses. SBCO and TCFB are both all-volunteer organizations and are IRS 501(c)(3) and AZ non-profit charitable organizations, so donations made to these organizations are tax deductible.

On Saturday, March 14th, food donations need to be placed at the curb for pick up by 8:00 am. These donations will be taken to the MountainView Clubhouse parking lot for sorting, boxing and delivery. TCFB requests that we NOT DONATE:

• Flour, Sugar, Drinks
• Fresh Fruit or Vegetables
• Items with an expiration date before 2024
• Items in glass containers
• Used or opened packages

Each unit also will be given suggested products to donate, including preferred sizes. Flyers will be customed by unit number. For example, Unit1/1A will be asked to donate Canned Tuna & Meats, Unit 2 Canned Tuna & Meats, etc. This will help ensure TCFB receives the desired items in usable quantities.

If you would like to volunteer for the Food Drive, please contact Andrea Stephens and Marian Bianchini at [email protected].