THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of Letter Carriers is holding its annual “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive Saturday. Letter carriers will collect nonperishable food donations from homes as they deliver mail along their routes. Last year, 77 million pounds of food was collected across the nation.

THE MAINE CREDIT UNION League, in conjunction with the National Credit Union Foundation, is collecting donations for victims of tornadoes in the South. The league has activated its online disaster relief system at www.cuaid.coop to collect contributions for this tragedy. All donations will be forwarded to credit union organizations in affected areas to help credit unions, employees and their members. For more information, visit www.mainecul.org.

PORTLAND

AN AARP DRIVER SAFETY Class for drivers age 50 and older will be held from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. May 19 at 1685 Congress St. The class is designed to help drivers learn about defensive driving, new traffic laws, and rules of the road. It also helps older drivers learn how to adjust to age-related changes. Fee is $12 for members and $14 for non-members. Organizers suggest to register by Thursday at 846-0858. 

MAINE BOYS TO MEN was awarded a $300,000 grant from the Office of Violence Against Women to engage men in preventing sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking. The organization was selected as one of 23 violence prevention agencies to receive an award. Boys to Men will work with several partner organizations, including Family Crisis Services, Sexual Assault Response Services of Southern Maine and AddVerb Productions. 

KELLER WILLIAMS Realty is launching its annual Red Day “Give Where you Live” campaign with a food drive from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday at its Sewall Street location. The agency’s goal is to fill a 14-foot truck for Good Shepherd Food-Bank. Donations can be made before the food drive and a Keller Williams agent will pick up the donation. For more information, call 650-1627. 

CIELLE POMERLEAU, 18, a student in LearningWorks’ Youth Building Alternatives program, recently won a Maine State Chamber of Commerce essay contest and will receive a $1,500 scholarship. Pomerleau dropped out of Deering High School when she was pregnant with her son Boston, now 2. She came to Youth Building Alternatives to finish her education. She plans to use her scholarship to attend SMCC next fall to work toward a degree in social work. YBA works with young men and women who have dropped out of high school. 

THE PORTLAND PARKS Commission is hosting its second annual citywide parks forum, a Green Space Gathering, from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Merrill Rehearsal Auditorium on Myrtle Street. There will be opportunities for the public to get involved, and ways to start a community organization to adopt a park/spot in the city. Organizations expected to attend the event include Friends of Deering Oaks, Friends of Eastern Promenade, Friends of Capisic Pond Park, the Land Bank Commission, Spirits Alive, Peaks Island Community Garden and Portland Trails.

For more information, go to greenspacegathering.blogspot.com.

FREEPORT

THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY YMCA needs volunteers for its second annual Tri for a Y and Crank and Shank dualathon May 21. All proceeds will go to the financial assistance program for the Cumberland County Y. Organizers need about 100 volunteers to assist with safety on the bike and running course, directing athletes to their bikes during the transition between the swim and bike portions of the triathlon. Volunteers will get a T-shirt and food. To register, go to www.cumberlandcountyymca.org/triforthey or call 874-1111.

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