Extra volunteers, nice weather, and increased poverty awareness are being credited for the success of the London Food Bank's Thanksgiving food drive.
At of the end of the ten-day food drive on Monday, 54,757 lbs of food had been collected. It's a 28% increase compared to the same time last year and that number is expected to grow over the next few days.
"We know there is a fair amount of food still coming in Tuesday from schools that held food drives. One of the grocery stores had a stuff the bus event which will be coming in as well," says Jane Roy, co-executive director of the London Food Bank. "We expect this year's total to get pretty close and most likely exceed last year's total."
Last year's Thanksgiving food drive brought in a total of 70,714 lbs of food.
Roy says this year's surge of fall donations can be attributed to a number of different factors.
"We had more volunteers handing out bags at grocery stores, the weather was pleasant, and the media did stories on the food drive and poverty in general. It all plays into people's awareness and that awareness helps them think about the needs of other folks," says Roy.
The food bank's next big food drive is the Business Cares Food Drive held in December but donations are always accepted.
"People can make donating part of their weekly grocery shopping ritual. There are bins in most of the grocery stores year round. Donations can be dropped off at any London fire hall year round or bring it right down to us at the food bank," says Roy.
Demand for the food bank's services is up this year with an average of 3,528 families turning to the organization per month.