While the total amount of food collected didn't reach the level of last year's London Cares Curb Hunger food drive, Londoners still gave generously.
The City of London announced on Tuesday that this year’s food drive saw the equivalent of 76,800 lbs of food donated to the London Food Bank. That is down 8,200 lbs compared to last year, when the amount of food donated to the week and a half long drive hit a ten year high of 85,000 lbs.
Additional fresh produce donations will be added to the 2022 total later this summer and fall when vegetables from the food drive’s Grow-a-Row, Adopt a Plot, and Green Wall initiatives are harvested and donated. All three initiatives encourage residents to plant extra in their gardens or in vertical hanging pockets specifically to donate.
"Londoners continue to show compassion and support for their neighbours in need by giving to the London Food Bank,” Mayor Ed Holder said in a statement. “Thank you to everyone who donated online, gave at the grocery store, and who is growing food in local gardens to donate. This incredible generosity from residents, corporate donors and community partners year after year helps provide local and nutritional food to many families.”
Of the 76,800 lbs donated between June 8 and 18, more than 11,800 lbs came from grocery stores, 22,500 lbs were corporate donations, over $66,600 or 25,600 lbs were financial donations, and 16,900 lbs came in from the community refresh program.
The Curb Hunger food drive, now in its 26th year, is the longest running partnership of its kind in Canada, according to the city. Donations to the campaign help feed more than 25,000 people in the city.
"The food drive is evolving with an important focus on distributing fresh food with the help of Londoners growing food in local greenhouses, community gardens, and in their own backyards for the food bank," said London Food Bank Co-Executive Director Glen Pearson. "We are encouraging Londoners to keep planting and harvesting fresh produce to donate through the Grow-a-Row program this summer to continue the food drive’s local impact.”