The generosity of Londoners is reflected in this year's London Cares Curb Hunger Food Drive.
Participants in the 21st edition of the food drive donated over 47,000 pounds of food to the London Food Bank. This is an increase of 8% over last year's food drive.
The summer months are traditionally a slower time for food donations and the food drive is timed to reflect that. Jane Roy, the food bank's co-executive director, says these donations will really help.
"For the first half of 2017, an average of 3,550 families are using the food bank on a monthly basis and the new amount of food donations will go a long way to supporting families during the summer months ahead," says Roy.
The food bank has implemented a new program called Plant a Row, Grow a Row, which allows a family to grow a row of produce in a community garden with the food being donated to the food bank at harvest time. Over 60 families have signed up, more than the target number of 50 in the first year.
London Mayor Matt Brown is also happy to see Londoners doing their part to help.
"Londoners deliver for the food bank each and every year," says Brown in a statement. "I am so pleased to see the generosity of our community as we work together to fight poverty. In London, no child should ever go to school or bed hungry."
Over its 21-year history, the food drive has collected over 1.3 million pounds of food.