A final, major push is underway for the BellMedia Ottawa Food Bank ‘Thanks for Giving’ food drive.

For the last few weeks, we have been helping the Food Bank fill the shelves in time for Thanksgiving.

Today, at the Ottawa Food Bank’s warehouse on Michael Street, students from St. Mark’s High School are unpacking an abundance of food, kind of like Thanksgiving dinner at Susan Philpott's house.

‘We usually have turkey and potatoes,” says the Grade 9 student as she helps shuck corn, “and rolls and all sorts of stuff.’

The Grade 9 student and the rest of her classmates know they are lucky to have a full plate for the holiday.  So, they are at the Ottawa Food Bank today, helping ensure those in need do, too.

‘I always thought Ottawa was a well to do place,” says student Zoe Lis, ‘and it is, but I was surprised to hear how many people are hungry.’

And, sadly, there are thousands.

"We help about 48,000 people a month,’ says Michael Maidment, the Executive Director of the Ottawa Food Bank, ‘That need fluctuates up and down but as soon as food comes in to our warehouse, it goes out the door and into peoples’ homes.’

Maidment says the need is particularly evident with last week’s report from Ottawa Public Health detailing a ten percent increase in the cost of food .

‘We know a 10% increase is significant and it causes families who are trying to balance other financial pressures in their lives to food banks for the first time.’

Thanks to the generosity of our community, there is a lot of food to sort since the Bell Media/Ottawa Food Bank "Thanks for Giving Food Drive” started in early September.  But the need is overwhelming.

Gary McCarthy has worked at the Food Bank for 18 years but he's still amazed at the demand and the public's response to it.

‘It's good in a holiday period like Thanksgiving to see our community come forward and help us out a lot.’

Here's how to help.  All day Thursday, people can stop by our station at 87 George, at Giant Tiger stores and at several participating grocery stores to drop off a donation of food or money.  All the PODS we fill will go to the Food Bank.

The St. Mark students know that thousands of families are counting on it.

‘I hope that everyone thinks about it,’ says Zoe Lis, ‘and they have a chance to have a nice Thanksgiving dinner.’

Here’s a list of the most needed items:

  • Canned Fish, Meat & Stews
  • Canned Vegetables & Fruit
  • Cereal [Whole Grains]
  • Cooking Oil
  • Dry Pasta & Sauce
  • Baby Diapers
  • Baby Formula
  • Household Products
  • Juice [Boxes or Cans]
  • Legumes [Canned or Dried]
  • Peanut Butter
  • Personal Hygiene Products
  • Rice
  • Snacks [Think Nutritious!]
  • Soup