The 20th annual Business Cares Food Drive launched Friday morning with a kick-off event at Western University.
Organizers say they’re looking to surpass last year’s collection total of 443,000 pounds of food.
The drive collects donations for the London and Area Food Bank, which officials say provides emergency food items for 3,352 families each month.
Wayne Dunn, food drive chair, says that most people would be surprised by the average food bank user.
“A lot of people think its like they’re in there every week. The people that use it, one-third only use it once or twice a year. And another two-thirds use it four to five times a year. It’s only two per cent who use it on a monthly basis,” he said.
They’re “people that are just down and out — medical issues, all of a sudden they can’t work and they don’t have EI, or that type of thing,” he added.
“The food bank is for everybody. Everybody deserves a meal.”
The Grocery Store Weekend event helps to kick off the campaign, with 700 volunteers ready to scatter across 27 grocery stores throughout the city.
They’ll be handing out bags to fill with non-perishable food items and collecting cash donations from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.
For the third consecutive year, the Grand Theatre will also do its part to contribute. At the end of each performance of Mary Poppins, which runs through to Dec. 29, the show’s cast will be out in the lobby collecting donations for the food drive.
Monetary donations can also be made through the theatre’s electronic kiosk.
“Each year we’re overwhelmed and heartened by the generosity of our audience. And our cast and crew truly appreciate the opportunity to be part of a campaign that helps so many Londoners in need,” Suzanne Lanthier, the Grand Theatre’s director of audience development said in a statement.
The three-week campaign wraps up Dec. 20.