BROCKVILLE, ONT. -- With demand at food banks in the area on the rise, the 2020 Fall Rotary Food Drive has expanded its coverage area, with all donations going to the Brockville and Area Food Bank and the Food for All Food Bank in South Grenville.

"This year, we decided the need is so great, not just in Brockville but in our community and surrounding area, that we wanted to do something a little added so we talked to the South Grenville food bank and we combined with them this year," said Diana Dodge, co-chair of the Rotary Harvest Fall Food Drive.

"On Saturday, all of the local fire halls in that region are doing pick-ups for us as well, so you can drop off canned goods or cheques and cash at the local fire halls in the South Grenville region," Dodge said.

The goal for this year's drive is $50,000 in cash and 26,000 pounds of food.

"Our food drive started on Wednesday, and we're going through until Saturday," said Dodge at the drop off location of the old LCBO in the Brockville Shopping Centre.

Other locations accepting drop-offs in town include the Real Canadian Superstore, Giant Tiger, Food Basics, Metro, RBC Brockville branch and the Brockville and Area Food Bank.

In South Grenville, locations include O'Reilly's Independent Grocer, Giant Tiger and the Prescott Food Bank.

"We're thrilled if we can get cash or cheque donations this year," said Dodge. "The food drive can do a lot more with cash than just the canned goods but we're thrilled to have the canned goods dropped off here."

"We have COVID practices in place so you can drop of the canned goods and someone will come out here and grab them. You don't have to come inside. We can take them from the trunk of your car," Dodge added.

Brockville food drive pandemic

On Monday, the drive received three $5,000 cheques from the Brockville TD bank, Brockville RBC and Brockville Giant Tiger.

"The Toronto Dominion Canada Trust also added another cheque for $1,000 and put out a corporate challenge to the local corporations to match their cheque," said Doreen Barns, with the Rotary Club of the 1,000 Islands.

Another way to donate this year is e-transfer.

"Just call the food bank, South Grenville or Brockville and they'll tell you where to e-transfer to make it easy. You can do it from home," said Dodge.

If you'd like to drop off food items, both food banks are looking for peanut butter, canned fish, any kind of canned meat, pudding snacks and apple sauce as well as cereal.

"There are a lot of kids who are at home now doing school online. We need food items that they can have for lunches and to be fed at home and as well as those that are going to school so they can have nutritious meals at school," said Dodge.

"We're very grateful for all the support the community is giving us, all the support that has happened," Dodge added. "We've been doing this over 20 years with Rotary and the community has just been blessed so much by the donations from everyone. We're looking forward what can happen again this year because the need is so great."

The 2020 Fall Rotary Food Drive runs until Saturday, Oct. 10 at 4 p.m.