Record haul for Business Cares food drive

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London’s Business Cares food drive closed its helping campaign on Thursday, setting a record for food and money collected in what was the 25th edition of the program. 

When combining both food and cash donations, this year’s campaign raised the equivalent of 309,803 kilograms of food, a nine per cent increase over last year’s total, organizers said.  

It’s a record for the annual drive in support of the London Food Bank and marks the 25th consecutive time the campaign, which in its first edition collected 16,329 kilograms of food, surpasses the previous year’s total.  

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“The continual giving of Londoners never ceases to amaze me,” Wayne Dunn, founder of the campaign, said of the final tally, noting it comes at a time when many Londoners are cash-strapped amid months of high inflation and interest rates. 

“Whatever need is put in place, Londoners will pick up and respond to it,” he added. “Business Cares is there to support and help and, as a whole community, we’ve done a really good job.” 

Just as big as Londoners’ generosity has been, so it is the need in the community, Dunn said. 

The London Food Bank has seen the number of people seeking support nearly double in the past three years, with the local agency now serving about 6,000 families a month, or 17,000 individuals, he said.

“Three years ago, it was nowhere near that,” Dunn said. “So, the need and the demand are there. 

“But looking ahead, even next year, whatever demand is there, Business Cares is going to be there to support the community, and we’ll get the job done.”

jjuha@postmedia.com

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