'November was 2nd busiest month in 35 years': London Food Bank thankful for Business Cares Food Drive
The London Business Cares Food Drive (LBCFD) couldn't have come at a more opportune time.
"At Wednesday's Food Bank board meeting we saw November's numbers and it's the second highest in our 35 year history," said Glen Pearson, the London Food Bank's co-executive director.
"We were all kind of shocked. We knew it was rising but it's risen now a lot and for Canada's largest food banks, their numbers have increased over 50 per cent during the pandemic. So I mean, this isn't something it's just a London problem, it's a Canadian problem." Pearson added.
This weekend, 30 stores in London, Ont. including 27 grocery stores, were packed with volunteers for the annual LCBFD Grocery Weekend.
"I've actually had to put out 30 more Gaylord's in the last two hours, that's how busy it's been," said LBCFD campaign chair Wayne Dunn.London Business Cares Food Drive Campaign Chair Wayne Dunn in London, Ont. on Sunday Dec. 5, 2021. (Brent Lale / CTV News)Shopper Tim Forrest arrived to purchase a bag of carrots, but instead bought and donated an entire cart of groceries.
"I run a small business and I see everybody out on the street corners this time of year hurting to get by and just wanting to do my part," explained Forrest.
Pearson feels the generosity of the thousands of people like Forrest is what allows them and other agencies to serve the growing clientele.
"We're just short of 3,600 families," said Pearson. "That's close to 9,000 individuals a month, and that's not talking about the other 10,000 individuals we feed on a regular basis through other agencies that we help, and their numbers too are going up."
To pull off this weekend at all corners of the city, it takes close to 1,000 volunteers. Among them at the Wharncliffe Road and Commissioners Avenue No Frills were Inter-county Baseball League champions Braeden Ferrington and Cleveland Brownlee of the London Majors.Cleveland Brownlee (C) of the London Majors leads a group of London Business Cares Food Drive volunteers, Sunday Dec. 5, 2021. (Brent Lale / CTV News)"We're just trying to feed as many families we can for the holidays," said Brownlee. "At this time of year you always get the best stories. One guy came in yesterday (Saturday) and he said just last year he was homeless and he says now he's able to help provide for other families. He came out with a whole shopping cart, and those are the kinds of stories and things that you look for on this weekend."
While the grocery weekend is now over, the LBCFD will continue for the next two-and-a-half weeks.
"We store all our food at the Edge Automation warehouse in east London and have a great wrap up Dec. 22," said Dunn.
"In between, a lot of businesses will be involved with their staff. People can still donate online at our website, and the next few weeks we'll shift the campaign to more monetary than food. However, businesses will still assist and we're happy to have that too."It was a hub of activity on London Business Cares Food Drive Grocery Weekend at No Frills on Wharncliffe Road in London, Ont., Dec. 5, 2021. (Brent Lale / CTV News)Pearson calls the business community “essential” to the Food Bank's ability to serve.
"It's not a crisis yet, but it's a real moment of concern," he said. " The food security, especially after COVID, we thought we would all do better, and we build back better but it hasn't worked out in this case."
The next event is the 'Be a Fan, Bring a Can' Saturday Dec. 11, when the London Knights host the Guelph Storm.
Volunteers will be on hand at Budweiser Gardens to collect donations for the LBCFD.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.
Woman, 18, killed by co-worker's vehicle on Highway 1 in Moose Jaw
Moose Jaw police say an 18-year-old woman who was at work has died from injuries she sustained in a collision with a vehicle being driven by her co-worker last Thursday.