Officials with the London Food Bank say the 33rd edition of the Thanksgiving Food Drive raised a record-breaking total.
During the 10-day drive, officials collected 30,000 pounds worth of food and about $110,000, which translates to a total of 74,000 pounds of food.
Co-executive director Jane Roy says the money donated is converted to pounds of food in order to get the total.
“Last year, people gave us money and it got converted. There’s a figure that Food Banks Canada uses, it got converted into food, and last year the conversion factor, it was 70,700 pounds.”
In 2020, the London Food Bank’s Thanksgiving drive saw officials encourage monetary donations to limit physical contact amid the COVID-19 pandemic and to maximize the power of their donations.
Roy adds that the Thanksgiving Food Drive is particularly important as it sets the tone for the rest of the year.
“The London community has always kind of stepped up, so we’re not surprised but we’re really amazed that they continue to be so generous. And what’s important about Thanksgiving, in many ways, it kind of kicks off the giving season. So people donate from now until Christmas, and they really step up for the people who need it.”
According to the latest figures, about 8,000 people and just over 3,000 families use the London Food Bank each month.
–with files from Global News’ Sawyer Bogdan.
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