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Richmond Food Bank gears up for 12th annual Thanksgiving food drive

Every year, the Richmond Food Bank Society raises thousands of pounds of food to help raise enough food for residents in need during the BC Thanksgiving Food Drive.
Richmond Food Bank Society
Richmond Food Bank Society prepares for a contactless BC Thanksgiving food drive this year. Photo submitted.

Every year, the Richmond Food Bank Society raises thousands of pounds of food to help raise enough food for residents in need during the BC Thanksgiving Food Drive.

Richmond residents donated a total of 11,000 pounds of non-perishable food that kept the food banks’ shelves stocked through the holiday months last year.

However, many food banks are struggling to keep their shelves full this year due to an increase of people turning to the food bank for daily grocery needs during the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Richmond Food Bank Society.

The goal for this year's food drive is to raise over 500,000 pounds of food to support food banks for 50 cities throughout B.C.

Because pandemic restrictions are still in place, the society will be launching a contactless food drive where a brown paper bags will be placed at Richmond residents’ door steps starting Sept. 21.

Residents are encouraged to place non-perishable food donations in the paper bag and have it placed in front of their main door -- visible from their drive way -- before 9 a.m. on Sept. 26.

Volunteers will pick up the donations and deliver them to the Richmond Food Bank on that Saturday.

Food donation bags can also be dropped off to the food bank’s Cedarbridge Way location or at a nearest grocery store.

 “Every year, our community has stepped up during this food drive with generous amounts of quality non-perishable food,” said Hajira Hussain, executive director of the Richmond Food Bank Society.

“We need Richmond to continue to support us now more than ever. With government supports ending later this month we are anticipating an increased need for food assistance and are gearing up to meet the need.”

For more information, visit www.richmondfoodbank.org