Annual Feeding Families Food Drive launches to battle food insecurity

The sentiment that demand for support from food banks reverberates across the country, including in Simcoe County.

"It's staggering to think that we're going through 9,000 pounds of food a month that we're distributing to people in need in this community," said Kim Duquette, Midland Salvation Army services coordinator.

This translates to nearly 900 individuals served by the food bank in Midland since the start of the year.

Duquette emphasized the increasing cost of groceries, which has impacted donations as much as those who rely on them.

"People who had a little bit of expendable income and could afford to donate a little find that they're in a pinch too," she added.

CTV Barrie has teamed up with our radio partners, Bounce 104.1 and Pure Country 106, to fight food insecurity by launching the annual Feeding Families food drive in partnership with Access Storage.

"When we do these food drives, you really see the community step up. It warms you. It really shows what a great community we have and how they step up time and time again," said Josh Duncan with Bounce 104.1 and Pure Country 106.

"It's a passion for us to support communities and ensure they are healthy and strong, and that includes health care and food security," added Celeste Blackmore, Access Storage corporate partnerships director.

Duquette touched on the importance of donations for school snacks and essentials often overlooked, such as canned meats and cereal.

"People in organizations and businesses in our communities care about them. Really, the thank you goes out to anybody in this community who donates anything and supports us in any way," Duquette noted.

Complete information on the Feeding Families Food Drive is available here.