A province-wide campaign to encourage donations of fresh produce to food banks stopped in London at the Covent Garden Market today (Septmeber 3rd 2009).
The Buy Local Share Local program comes on the heels of a record-number of families coming to the London Food Bank for help, said food bank executive director Jane Roy.
“It doesn’t seem to be getting any better,” Roy said.
The food bank now services about 3,000 families a month, up about 25 per cent over last year, she said.
The food bank always welcomes
fresh produce, not just non-perishable
food items.
The Buy Local Share Local campaign is stopping in cities across the province to let people know they can donate fresh, local fruits and vegetables year-round.
People think they can only donate non-perishable food items like cans and pastas because seasonal food drives encourage those foods.
“For the food drives, it takes time to pick up the food and so we don’t want it to go to waste,” Roy said.
Food is picked up from bins in grocery stores about once a week, making non-perishable items the donations of choice.
But anyone who wants to drop off vegetables or fruits can do so directly to the London Food Bank or at local fire halls, who will call Roy and get food bank staff to pick up the produce.
Source: http://www.lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2009/09/03/10734541.html