London Food Bank wraps up Spring Food Drive with slight decline in donations
The London Food Bank is wrapping up its Spring Food Drive and is calling this year's effort a success. However, the numbers aren't much of an improvement on previous campaigns.
"We're down a little bit in food, and we're up a little bit in money so overall it ends up being down a little bit just due to the fact that the food evaluation has gone up," explained Jane Roy, co-director of the food bank.
Despite the impact of inflation on donations, Roy said they are actually really pleased the public came out and supported those in need.
"This is what one can one bag looks like when we all participate and we all just do a little bit,” said Roy as she pointed to skids full of donations from this year’s Spring Food Drive.
As of Monday morning, 48,744 lbs of food and $81,242 in cash donations had been collected.
But with the cost of food being $3.52 a pound, that puts this year’s total so far below last year’s numbers.
With food insecurity on the rise, London Food Bank’s services are being used by more people than ever before and another accumulating cost is now boxes.
"When we first started the food bank, we didn’t pay for boxes or bags or anything like that. But obviously with the changes that have come, and the fact that we're so busy," explained Roy.
Over at the St. Thomas Elgin Food Bank, they have gone green.
"We fill carts like grocery carts, and when our clients have pre-ordered, we just take them down a little ramp and they in turn put them into their reusable bags or into their grocery bins that they may have," said Manager of Public Relations and Administration of the St. Thomas Elgin Food Bank, Karen M. McDade.
The London Food Bank serves more than 5,200 families per month, and ask users to bring their own boxes and bags if possible.
During the Spring Food Drive, the food bank collects food donations with donation bags available at grocery stores. The drive ran from Good Friday until April 1 this year.
"People come to the food bank as a year round thing, so when it comes to giving, now most of the grocery stores continue to have those bins,” said Roy.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
DEVELOPING Hamas accepts Gaza ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar
Hamas said it has accepted a ceasefire deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar, which seeks to halt the seven-month war with Israel in Gaza, prompting Israel to say it would send a delegation to negotiate – though it warned the proposal remained far from the 'necessary requirements.'
An American soldier was arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, U.S. officials say
An American soldier has been arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, according to U.S. officials. The soldier was stationed in South Korea and was in the process of returning home to the United States, but travelled to Russia.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Competition Bureau launches inquiry into Lululemon over 'greenwashing' allegations
Canada's Competition Bureau has launched an inquiry into Vancouver-based Lululemon following a complaint from members of an environmental group.
NDP calls out Conservatives for effort to quash pharmacare legislation
The federal New Democrats are calling out Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party for trying to block the bill that could pave the way for millions of Canadians to access birth control and diabetes coverage.
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc tabled legislation in the House of Commons on Monday proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Bill C-70 proposes to enact a new 'Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act.'