Food Drive is an annual event which began in Burnaby in 2009, has spread to over 50 cities in the province, and helps thousands of needy individuals and families throughout British Columbia.
In 2014, over 400,000 pounds of food was collected by more than 6,000 volunteers (valued at approximately $900,000) and was sorted and delivered to community food banks.
Our goal this year is to collect over 600,000 pounds of food.
This year’s food drive takes place from Sept. 14–19 and we anticipate more volunteer participants from dozens of partnering businesses, churches and volunteer organizations that will visit some 250,000 addresses across the province that week.
Here’s how it works: From now until Wednesday, volunteers will deliver flyers and donation bags to residential addresses along assigned routes. Flyers offer instructions on how to donate and include contact information should you have any questions.
Anyone wishing to make a donation of non-perishable food items is asked to place them in the bag and leave it on their doorstep before 9:30 a.m. on collection day, Saturday, Sept. 19.
Volunteers will travel back through their neighbourhoods to collect donations. On the same day, donations will be gathered at central locations and then transported to the Comox Valley Food Bank.
Please watch for your bag and donate generously.
If your neighbourhood did not receive collection bags, you are welcome to drop off donations at your local gathering site.
If you are interested in volunteering in the Comox Valley area, or want to know where to drop off donations, contact Andrew Pearson at 250-871-0892.
Further information can be found at bctfooddrive.org.
A spokesperson noted the Comox Valley collected the largest volume of food last year on Vancouver Island.
In B.C., more than 100,000 people turn to their local food bank each year to help feed themselves and their families.
Almost 40 per cent of recipients are under the age of 18.