The Solanco Food Bank is celebrating its 35th birthday, and everyone is invited to an event being held in its honor.

Solanco Neighborhood Ministries (SNM), the nonprofit group that operates the food bank, will hold its fourth annual Do You Know Your Neighbor? summer fundraiser Wednesday, July 23, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Britain Hill Venue & Vineyard, 790 Little Britain Road North, Quarryville.

"People seem to really look forward to coming," said SNM executive director Teresa Dolan. "It's just a nice evening out, and you get to support a local organization at the same time. This year, we're highlighting the food bank and its longevity. It's really just to raise awareness about what we do and the people in the communities that we serve. We're going to share with the guests what we do as a food bank and help them really understand the scope of things, because I think a lot of people don't always understand the amount of food that goes and the number of people that we help and what our vision looks like moving forward."

The event is free. Dolan said preregistration is helpful, but walk-ins will be welcome. To register, go to https://solanconeighborhoodministries.org and click on the Events tab. Those interested in participating in the silent auction will receive a bid number. Items up for bid will include a Traeger grill, gift certificates to local restaurants; photography sessions; wine baskets; soap- and candle-making classes; facials, manicures, and pedicures; and some experience gifts such as local tours.

Food trucks On the Roll and The TacoRV will have items for sale.

Dolan noted that SNM will have staff members and volunteers stationed around the room to answer questions, explain the displays that will be on-site, and inform visitors how they can volunteer. "People will be able to come in and really just visually see more of what we do in just kind of fun and creative ways," she said.

Dolan stated that the need for SNM's services have steadily increased. "Our student weekend meals program consistently increases in the number of students participating every year," she said. "We're filling more and more emergency orders and holiday meals. We're expanding our food services to really meet the gaps that we see are in our area."

This time of year can be particularly challenging. "Spring and summer are generally a slower time for food donations," said Dolan. "I think it's just an important time to raise awareness. I think a lot of people think of giving around the holidays. But the spring and summer are equally busy at the ministry. And so food donations and donations in general are just as important at these other times of the year as they are in the fall."

It's not just the food bank that requires attention. "(Issues) don't stop once the warm weather comes and it's bright days and blue skies," said Dolan. "If anything, we see more evictions, more homelessness in the spring and summer because people will get evicted in the warmer weather as opposed to putting somebody out in the cold. So there are more homeless and people sleeping outside and sleeping in their cars in the spring and summer. And then food needs increase when the kids are home from school. ... We just need a lot of cyclical trends depending on the seasons, bringing different challenges for different people, depending on what types of jobs they have and whether they have child care."

Visitors to the summer fundraiser will have an opportunity to learn how SNM plans to handle the community's needs. "People can come and learn more about our vision for the future," Dolan said. "Our strategic plan has five focus areas: housing, food security, educational programming, transportation, and community awareness and sustainability. So if people would like to come and learn more about any of those particular focus areas, if they have a particular interest in helping with any of those, they'd be able to come that night and learn more about that."