The London Food Bank is asking the community to donate whatever they can this weekend during the last few days of the annual Spring Food Drive.
Heading into the final weekend of the 34th annual food drive, the equivalent of 35,000 lbs of food has been donated so far.
This year's food drive is being held virtually by accepting monetary donations online for the second year in a row. The food bank's Co-Executive Director Jane Roy says the community has responded well to the pivot to online donations, calling it an easier and safer way to help out.
"We do still really like that whole aspect of physically giving food because there's just even that more direct connection," said Roy. "So right now people can do either way they can give us food, or they can give us money, and we'll use that to get food."
Last year's food drive kicked off at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the uncertainty many faced at the time, Roy says the generosity of Londoners was seen after the equivalent of 188,698 lbs of food was brought in.
The food bank assists approximately 2,700 families per month. Last fall, when financial assistance ended for some, the need for food donations started to rise. Roy hopes any last-minute donations made this weekend will keep the shelves full as the region enters yet another lockdown.
"This food drive helps us get through to the next food drive, which is in June," Roy said. "We're promoting some new programs that we're going to be starting shortly. So what comes in is going to help those new programs and continue to help all the different agencies that we assist as well."
About 60 per cent of donations will be redistributed to other agencies including a new city-wide food distribution network that begins next month.
The Spring Food Drive ends on Sunday. Financial donations can be made online at londonfoodbank.ca or collection bins are still available in most grocery stores. Local fire departments are not taking donations.