Expedia’s annual food drive to support Hopelink’s “End Summer Hunger” campaign kicked off June 23 at the company’s downtown Bellevue headquarters.

Employees were treated to a “Taste of Bellevue” event featuring cuisine from more than a dozen of the area’s restaurants. Participants provided a wide variety of their most popular menu items.

The event was free, but Expedia asked its employees to make charitable contributions. The end result was 510 pounds of food and $1450 donated for Hopelink in just two hours.

“Expedia likes to find creative ways to connect our employees with the community,” said Megan Prine, manager of corporate citizenship for Expedia. “This event is just one example of how we encourage charitable involvement and patronage of neighboring businesses in an effort to help promote a healthy community.”

Hopelink’s End Summer Hunger campaign continues through August. For more information or to learn how to participate, contact Hopelink at www.hope-link.org or 425-869-6000.

Restaurants involved in the event included:

• Barrio

• Emerald City Smoothie

• Honest Tea

• Joey Bellevue

• Lot No. 3

• Maggiano’s Little Italy

• Melting Pot

• Oh! Chocolate

• Paddy Coyne’s Irish Pub

• Pogacha Restaurant & Café Pogacha

• Purple Café

• Ruth’s Chris Steak House

• Wild Ginger