Demand is up as Business Cares Food Drive kicks off 25th annual campaign

Business Cares Food Drive kicks off The Business Cares Food Drive has kicked off its annual holiday season campaign. CTV London's Reta Ismail reports.

With the need being greater than ever, the Business Cares Food Drive has kicked off its annual holiday season campaign, spearheaded by Wayne Dunn.

Current demand is up 6 per cent, over the same time last year.

“In essence, we're probably double over the last three years and equate that to people coming in, the clients coming to the food bank, it's six thousand families per month or 16,000 individuals, which is just enormous,” explained Dunn.

More than 700 businesses in the London region take part by collecting food and money. Last year, 627,000 pounds of food was donated during the campaign.

Dunn said every bit helps at this time of the year because whatever is collected goes to 40 associated social agencies, including the London Foodbank.

“It's a bit of a ying and yang, it’s really difficult to see the community struggling, and when you see the families coming, I mean they're just like you and I… that it's really difficult, so that that always weighs heavy on us,” continued Jane Roy, the co-executive director at the London Food Bank. “And then the yang of it is, I mean, we're here in terms of the numbers of businesses, the community has been so supportive, it’s been amazing.”

Since 2017, The Grand Theatre has done its part by collecting thousands of dollars in donations after each holiday performance.

“So this year's production is The Sound of Music, and it's really been pulling on people's heartstrings, it's that nostalgic connection, a story of hope through hard times, and I think that really hits people when we finish up that performance with a donation request for such a great cause,” said Breanne Ritchie, director of education and community engagement at The Grand Theatre.

If you would like to help out and donate to the Business Cares Food Drive, you can do so this Saturday and Sunday during grocery store weekend.

Members of CTV London will join Virgin Radio and Pure Country 93 as Bell Media volunteers this weekend at the Food Basics location at Wonderland and Commissioners.