Since the start of the pandemic, the Daily Bread Food Bank has seen a 200 per cent increase in the number of individuals who have come to the food bank.
They now serve about 25 thousand families every single week.
Speaking to CP24, CEO Neil Hetherington says that in the more than 30 years that the food bank has been around, this year's Thanksgiving appeal to the public, is the most urgent appeal that they have ever made.
"We are seeing more families than ever before. We are depleting our food stocks at a more rapid rate than ever before. We have doubled and then doubled again, our food budget, to be able to try to keep up with the demand, so this weekend, we are hopeful people will drop off non-perishable food items in a fire hall, make a financial donation or come by tomorrow morning for our first ever drive-thru drop-off."
The Daily Bread Food Bank's first-ever Thanksgiving drive-thru drop-off is taking place on Saturday, October 10th, outside their warehouse at 191 New Toronto Street in Etobicoke.
Hetherington says that "out of an abundance of caution", the usual participation event that would see hundreds of people coming to volunteer at the facility during the Thanksgiving food drive, is not possible this year. As a result, they're encouraging the public to do some extra grocery shopping and simply drive by with their donations.
Mayor John Tory joined staff and volunteers in helping to unload items from vehicles in a safe, contactless way.
You can donate non-perishable food items at the warehouse between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
The goal this fall is to raise more than $1.9 million and collect more than 270,000 pounds of non-perishable food.
FACEBOOK/Daily Bread Food Bank