London Cares Curb Hunger Food Drive, Ends Positively

Thanks to a big final push from londoners yesterday, the London Food Bank now has 49,360 lbs of additional food on its shelves after the 22nd Annual London Cares Curb Hunger Food Drive. This is slightly more than the amount collected in 2017 (47,030 lbs), and includes about 5,900 pounds from food rescued at a number of grocery stores participating in a Pilot Project with the London Food Bank and Food Banks Canada.

The Food Drive is timed to help stock the shelves of the Food Bank before the summer months, which is traditionally a slower period for food donations, and additionally to promote the need for fresh produce. For the second year, the Plant a Row-Grow a Row program was another method for Londoners to get involved. Londoners can continue to register at Londonfoodbank.ca and then share their fresh produce later in the summer and early fall.

“For the first half of 2018, an average of 3,360 families are using the Food Bank on a monthly basis. This food drive will be very helpful during the summer months ahead,” said Jane Roy, Co-Executive Director of the London Food Bank. “The Food Bank wishes to acknowledge the tremendous generosity of Londoners during this food drive and thanks those involved with the Grow-a-Row program.”

Late in the week, it looked like the Food Bank may fall short of last year’s total, but a strong surge on the last day produced the results that were hoped for.

After 22 years, the running total for one of Canada’s most unique food drives is closing in on the 1.4 million pound mark. Phenomenal.

“We encouraged Londoners to give what they can and as often as they can during this food drive and all food drives,” offered Jay Stanford, Director, Environment, Fleet & Solid Waste. “We are also very appreciative of how the grocery stores participate and how many are looking at ways to get more food to the London Food Bank to help those in need.”

The London Food Bank and City of London extend a big thank you to the following corporate and media partners for their thoughtful support and generosity to the London Cares Curb Hunger Food Drive:

Corporate Sponsors:

Allstate Westmount Branch
Amway Global
Budweiser Gardens
Child & Youth Network
Christian Churches Network of London
Covent Garden Market
Express Employment Professionals
Goodwill Industries, Ontario Great Lakes
Habitat for Humanity
IBM
Labatt Breweries
Joe Kool’s

“No child should ever go to school or bed hungry and we need Food Drives like this to make this a reality. I am so pleased to hear that Londoners have supported the Food Bank again as part of the Curb Hunger Food Drive,” said Mayor Matt Brown.