I moved to Federal Way in 1968, and I have found it is a place that always helps others.

Federal Way is about community.

This is why I need your help. I’ve challenged the community to help me give back during the 16th annual Mayor’s Day of Concern for the Hungry. This is a citywide food drive that will benefit the Multi-Service Center’s Federal Way Food Bank.

The official Day of Concern for the Hungry is Sept. 27. But why should we relegate our assistance to just one day? What could we accomplish if we took the entire month? I bet we could double, triple or even quadruple our past efforts.

My formal challenge is to four “teams” of people: Service clubs, schools, faith-based organizations, and city departments and commissions to see who can raise the most money, bring in the most food and/or donate the most volunteer hours by the end of the day on Sept. 27.

The winning group will be honored with a trophy.

If you can’t take part in my challenge, consider doing your grocery shopping between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sept. 27 at one of the nine grocery stores in Federal Way participating in the food drive: Albertsons, the Twin Lakes Fred Meyer, H-Mart, Metropolitan Market, Pal-Do World International Market, the S. 320th Street Safeway, Top Foods and both Wal-Marts. Buy an extra couple of cans of nutritious food and drop them in the barrels by the door, or make a cash donation.

Still can’t participate? Make a trip from your kitchen cupboard to the curb. It can’t get any easier than this: Waste Management has offered to pick up food donated by its 17,000 customers in Federal Way.

All Waste Management customers have to do is bag up the food, mark it for the “food drive” and put it out at the curb next to their garbage container on their regular pick-up day between Sept. 22 and Sept. 26.

The need is great this year. Visitors to the food bank are up substantially and the regular donations aren’t enough. Call one of the city’s volunteer coordinators, Kimberly or Jennifer, at (253) 835-2652 to learn how you can give back to a hungry community.

It really is our privilege to help.

Jack Dovey is mayor of Federal Way. Contact him via e-mail:

jack.dovey@cityoffederalway.com