The United Way of Snohomish County/Community Transit Stuff a Bus food and toiletries drive on July 28 at the Albertsons James Village in Lynnwood was a success even before it started.

One day earlier, Friday,  a team of employees from AMT, a division of Senior Operations LLC, based in Arlington, delivered 2,000 pounds of food and toiletries they had collected over the past several weeks to United Way’s office in Everett.

The community’s generosity continued Saturday. In addition to the food delivered by AMT Friday, and a significant contribution by the American Girl store at Alderwood Mall, Albertsons made several in-store announcements during the day and made it easy for shoppers to donate 15 shopping carts full of food by preparing $5 and $10 pre-made bags. The food will be distributed by Volunteers of America Western Washington to food banks throughout Snohomish County.

In addition to the food, more than 400 individual toiletries were collected — including 103 bars of soap, 79 toothbrushes and 84 tubes of toothpaste. The toiletries will be distributed to the YWCA, Cocoon House, Domestic Violence Services and the Interfaith Family Shelter.

Another $380 was given to United Way’s Local Community Fund, which supports 102 programs run by 39 agencies throughout the county. The single biggest contribution — a check for $200 — came from the Lynnwood Elks Lodge.