GUILDERLAND —The Eighth Annual Neighborhood Food Drive for the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York will be held on Sunday, Jan. 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Westmere Fire Department, located at 1741 Western Ave. in Guilderland.

Non-perishable cans and boxes as well as toiletries and baby items are needed. The tractor trailer from the food bank is to be filled between noon and 2 p.m. Over 11,000 bags have been distributed by community volunteers to be collected on Jan. 11.

Last year, the drive collected 22,000 pounds in one day, which provided over 18,000 meals.

One out of every six people in the United States is hungry, according to a release from the fire department, which also states that 94,000 Capital Region residents area hungry, with one-third of them children. Those most affected by hunger are children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

Although food stamps benefit many people with low incomes, the program is supplemental and people often run out of food by the second or third week in a month, the release states; many people who depend on food pantries for assistance work full time but do not earn enough money to pay rent, electricity, or medical costs while others are on low, fixed incomes.

For additional information, contact Barry Nelson, Westmere Fire Department president, at 456-5200.