It’s the first weekend of spring and shelves at the Ottawa Food Bank will be replenished thanks to its annual spring food drive.

“Our shelves are getting low, it's been a big distance between the Thanksgiving to Christmas period and now in the spring, people have had to cope with high hydro bills and other costs through the winter month,” said Peter Tilley, the executive director of the Ottawa Food Bank. “March is usually one of our busiest months for food bank usage...nice to be able to replenish the shelves thanks to food drives like this.”

“There are people less fortunate than us in the community and we want to set an example for our child so we always try to donate as much as we can,” said Alexandra Averbeck.

“I do understand that somebody's in need or they cannot provide for themselves so I’m very happy there's people there for them,” said a woman donating money.

$1 collected is turned into $5 worth of food. Tilley says that goes a long way for the 48,000 people each month the food bank helps.

Last year’s spring food drive brought in 110,000 lbs. of food and Tilly hopes this year’s total will bring in even more.

“There's a lot of people who are unemployed right now who maybe can't make it this week and just need that little extra and I think it's very, very important that we do give back to the food bank,” said Pam Armour.

“It’s the Easter season and it'd be nice to see the people in need, make sure they get some food and everything, just figured it was a nice thing to do,” said Paul Morck.

Canned food items like tuna and vegetables as well as staples like peanut butter and cereal are among the most-needed items.

Some volunteers make this food drive a family tradition.

“I think it's great when our whole family pitches in when we do these things. It’s a very little thing we can do to give back,” said Peter Jowsey.

Mar. 23 and 24 donation locations

Walmart

3900 Innes Road
450 Terminal Ave
1375 Baseline Road
1350 Richmond Road
2210 Bank Street
500 Earl Grey Drive
3651 Strandherd Drive
1980 Ogilvie Road
5357 Fernbank Road

Metro

754 Bank Street
6509 Jeanne D’Arc Blvd
4510 Innes Road
1675 10th Line Road
50 Beechwood Avenue
345 Carleton Avenue

Loblaws

100 McArthur Road
1980 Ogilvie Road
2210C Bank Street
1460 Merivale Road

Superstore

4270 Innes Road
1460 Merivale Road

Mar. 30 locations

Metro

754 Bank Street
6509 Jeanne D’Arc Blvd
4510 Innes Road
1675 10th Line Road
50 Beechwood Avenue
2515 Bank Street
250 Greenbank Road
345 Carleton Avenue

Loblaws

100 McArthur Road
64 Isabella Street
1980 Ogilvie Road
2210C Bank Street
59A Robertson Road
1460 Merivale Road
1980 Baseline Road

Superstore

4270 Innes Road
190 Richmond Road

Your Independent Grocer

1619 Orleans Blvd.
200 Grant Carman Dr.
2691 Altavista Dr.