Have you been thinking about donating to your local food bank? Well, your mail carrier is about to make it a lot easier. On May 8th, you can take part in Stamp Out Hunger, the nation’s largest single day food drive. Letter carriers in more than 10,000 communities will collect food items and deliver them to local food banks to help some of the millions of Americans, including an estimated 16.7 million children who face hunger every day.

Here’s how you can help:

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There are a lot of us exhibiting some pretty negative emotions these days towards our federal government, and as April 15th approaches a lot of that sentiment will inevitably turn towards our buddies at the Internal Revenue Service.  And let’s face it, some of those feelings are warranted, no doubt.

But I’d like to talk about an IRS program that many people may not even know about.  It’s one of the most successful community volunteer initiatives ever, in terms of return on investment (for you…

We are doing something new at United Way! For the last few years we’ve offered Lunch & Learns at your workplace. Now we’re also offering them at United Way’s downtown Seattle office.

Come and join us this Thursday, March 18 at 12:00 pm for the second Lunch & Learn at United Way, “Quality Child Care: What it is and how to find it.” The one-hour information is presented by Deeann Burtch Puffert, CEO of Child Care Resources. Puffert is an expert on all things child…

Get your taxes done for FREE!!

Now through April 15, 2010, United Way of King County will operate 17 free tax preparation sites throughout King County.  Tax assistance will be provided by over 550 volunteers who are trained and certified by the IRS.

Who is eligible for this service?

What services are available at tax sites?

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10 Powerful Reasons to “Give 10″

1. Your neighbors need your help! 98,630 people are out of work, compared to 45,480 a year ago, and there has been a 180 percent increase in the number of foreclosures.

2. Single-parent families, disabled veterans and other vulnerable people are having a hard time paying their mortgages and rent.

3. By joining together with 10 others in your circle of friends and family–and giving just $10 each, you can keep people from plunging into homelessness and…

Your ballot packet requires one first class stamp if returned through the mail. Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, November 3.

King County has ballot drop boxes throughout the county to provide voters with a way to securely return their ballots without the cost of postage.

Ballot drop boxes will close at 8 p.m. on Election Day, November 3.

Track your mail ballot packet online at: www.kingcounty.gov/elections. Happy voting!

Ballot box locations

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If you are a new voter to the State of Washington, you can register in person at the King County Elections Office up to eight days before the election. October 26 is the absolute last day you can register to vote in the November 3 general election.

The Elections Office is open 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and is located at 9010 E. Marginal Way S. in Tukwila. Click here for directions.

In response to the Excessive Heat Warning and Air Stagnation Advisory issued by the National Weather Service, King County government has designated several “cooling centers” in Auburn, Black Diamond, Federal Way, Redmond and Tukwila. Click here for a complete list of locations.

City of Seattle facilities, including parks, libraries and the Seattle Center are offering people a way to cool off and stay safe during the heat of the day. Click here for more information.

And finally, Seattle City Light offers advice…

If you received your daily Hunger Action Week email this morning, you probably know that visits to area food banks have increased significantly in recent months, with some providers reporting 25-30 percent increases. This is hardly surprising given our current economic climate. More people are out of work, dual-income households are becoming single-income households, and people who were once regular donors to food banks are now finding themselves on the receiving end of these vital services. Linda Nageotte, CEO for Food Lifeline, a…

Babies and children make up 34 percent of hungry people in King County, and that number is rising. Fortunately, there are many ways that you can get involved and take action against childhood hunger.

Volunteer at the University District Youth Center. The UDYC is looking for meal teams to provide 30-40 youth with lunch at their drop-in program for homeless and at-risk youth. Make Lunch in your home and drop it off at the Center– Easy as can be.

Consider volunteering with Solid…