Many local residents may already have noticed a little something extra in their mailbox this week as the BC Thanksgiving Food for the Food Bank Day starts their sixth annual donation drive.
Volunteers dropped off more than 8,500 bags with instructions attached so community-minded residents can donate by setting non perishable food donations out on their front stoop for pick up today between 9 a.m. and noon.
Suggested donations include canned vegetables and soups, and peanut butter is always a popular option, a special treat could be canned salmon, while staples like flour and sugar are always welcome.
"There has never been a time in recent history that there have been so many people in need in this community," said Capt. Neil Wilkinson from the Salvation Army during a media conference Friday.
"In the last five years we've gone from about 600 families a month that we're serving at the food bank to 1,500 that we are serving at the food bank."
Mayor Lyn Hall proclaimed Saturday the B.C. Thanksgiving Food for the Food Bank Day in Prince George.
The goal for organizers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, founders of this food drive, is to get between 2,000 and 3,000 participants to fill the bags in Prince George, increasing the 2015 numbers.
Last year there were 8,526 bags delivered to homes around P.G. by 232 volunteers and 1,534 bags were received, which is an 18 per cent rate of return.
Last year it took volunteers 374.5 hours to perform the delivery of the empty bags and pick up the full ones that resulted in 18,234 pounds of food being donated to the Salvation Army food bank.
"We just want to help those who are less fortunate than us and be able to say thank you for our good fortune," said Sherry Sethen, assistant public relations for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
"Food banks at this time of the year become very depleted. Lots of people need food throughout the summer but not a lot of people are giving it and everybody thinks of the Christmas food drive and the hampers so we decided to choose this time of year to restock the shelves at the food bank that will take care of the current demand."
Across B.C., there are now 50 cities participating in the Food Bank Food Day and last year a total of 440,000 pounds of food was collected by more than 5,000 volunteers. This year's goal is to collect more than 600,000 pounds of food and 20,000 pounds locally.
All food collected in Prince George stays in Prince George.
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