Hunter Richardson loved people and pets. So when a drunk driver claimed his life, Richardson’s family knew just how to honor his memory.

This is the fifth year a fundraising drive honoring the 23-year-old Nansemond-Suffolk Academy and Virginia Tech graduate, killed in a pedestrian accident on Thanksgiving weekend in 2009, will benefit the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore and the Suffolk Humane Society.

“I feel like it’s amazing that in light of their tremendous loss and tragedy, which I can’t even imagine, that they have chosen to bring light into that darkness by helping people and pets who can’t help themselves,” said Kay Hurley, community outreach director for Suffolk Humane.

Until Nov. 30, canned and nonperishable food items, as well as pet food and pet-related items, can be left at various locations around Hampton Roads.

In Suffolk, items can be left at Bennett’s Creek Pharmacy, 3219 Bridge Road; The Market (at Eclipse), 1604 Bridge Road; North Suffolk Animal Hospital, 2897 Bridge Road; and Suffolk Humane headquarters at 4300 Nansemond Parkway.

Additional locations may be added – organizers ask folks to check the Remembering Hunter Richardson Facebook page for updates.

Tax-deductible monetary donations can also be made. Designate your gift “In Memory of Hunter Richardson” via check or bankcard to Suffolk Humane Society, 4300 Nansemond Parkway, Suffolk, VA 23435, or The Foodbank of Southeastern VA, 800 Tidewater Drive, Norfolk, VA 23504.

In a statement, his aunt, Kathy Richardson Shores, said Hunter was “everything you could want in a son, grandson, nephew or friend.”

“So many people are challenged to feed their families and care for their pets these days,” she stated. “We hope that those who can help will bring items to these locations so that we can help others have a better holiday, and we can honor Hunter’s loving spirit.”

Suffolk Humane would prefer: Purina Pro chicken and rice kitten or cat food, or canned kitten food; kitten milk replacement powdered formula; powdered puppy formula; dog treats; cat carriers; collapsible dog crates; water bottles for cat cages; cat toys; cat scratching posts; dog toys; cat grooming combs, brushes, rakes; breakaway-style cat collars; dog collars and leashes, especially for small and medium dogs; clumping-style Tidy Cat litter; scent-free laundry detergent; bleach; hand sanitizer and wipes and used blankets and towels.

The foodbank’s shopping list includes: lean canned protein — tuna, chicken, turkey, beans; canned fruits and vegetables, pasta sauce, 100 percent fruit juice, fruit preserves and dried fruit; cereal, pasta, oatmeal, rice and crackers; soups, stews, boxed meals and canned pasta; and baby formula as well as food, diapers and wipes.

Low-fat, low-sodium, low-sugar products are preferred, and please remember to give non-perishable food in non-breakable containers and with nutritional labels intact. Check use by dates, but items can be up to six months past printed date.