In an effort to lend a helping hand this season, Bayfair Center and its farmers market will host a one-day food drive to benefit the Davis Street Family Resource Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

Community members who donate a bag of nonperishable food items will receive a complimentary seasonal fruit item.

Lydia Kingsbury, general manager of Bayfair, said the center chose to assist the nonprofit agency because it helps so many people in the community each year through various services, including emergency food, clothing and health care.

"It just seemed a natural organization to work with and to give back to," Kingsbury said.

Rose Johnson, executive director of Davis Street, said the summer months are some of the lowest for food donations, though demand remains high. Two summers ago, Davis Street suffered a severe food shortage in its pantry and was forced to limit its food distributions to once a month for needy individuals and families — something it never had to do before.

Emergency food is provided at the resource center each month to hundreds of low-income individuals, including children and seniors.

"Summer is also crucial because low-income families who would normally receive breakfast and lunch in school are at risk of going without during summer break," Johnson said. "So a summer food drive such as this one at Bayfair will help replenish our food bank, eliminating the need for parents to choose which bill to pay over buying food."

Donations can be dropped off at the redemption table inside Bayfair Center's Court to receive a free fresh fruit item. The farmers market is in the parking lot between Macy's and Kohl's, near East 14th Street and Fairmont Drive.

The one-day food drive is part of Bayfair's "Summer of Celebration Events" taking place throughout the summer.

Davis Street is a nonprofit whose mission is to help low-income people living in the Eden Area — San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Castro Valley, Ashland and Cherryland — improve their quality of life through short- and long-term assistance.

Established in 1970 as a ministry of the First Christian Church of San Leandro, Davis Street has matured into a multifaceted family resource center. As the only multiservice family support agency in the San Leandro area, Davis Street provides services to more than 10,000 people in need every year.

Programs and services include low-cost and subsidized child care, emergency food and clothing, acute medical care, crisis counseling, job preparation and placement services, holiday food and toy basket programs, and information and referral.

Davis Street Family Resource Center is at 3081 Teagarden St. For more information, call (510) 347-4620 or visit their Web site at www.davisstreet.org.

Tasha Bartholomew covers the city of San Leandro and Ashland. Call her at (510) 293-2471 or send e-mail to tbartholomew@dailyreviewonline.com.