Keeping the shelves stocked in the summer is always a big challenge for food banks across the country, but that’s where a relatively new campaign comes in.
Beginning on May 1, more than 120 food banks are joining forces for an awareness campaign called Every Plate Full.
The campaign encourages people to log onto the Every Plate Full website and donate money to their local food bank.
"In a normal month we receive 60,000 pounds of food, come the summer time we're down to half,” says Peter Sundborg of the Barrie Food Bank. "This campaign can make a big difference whether we have food on our shelves come August."
This is the second year of the national campaign and a first for the Barrie Food Bank.
"People don't think about it as much and though it looks like we have a lot of food, when you have a thousand clients a month those reserves are going to diminish quickly."
Sundborg is hoping to raise 20,000 pounds of food to feed 9,000 people.
Many food banks are also organizing special food drives and fundraisers. In Newmarket, dozens of businesses along Main Street will be taking part in a food drive. They’re hoping to raise $2,000 and 10,000 pounds of food.
The food banks in Orangeville and Wasaga Beach are also taking part in the month long campaign.
