LETHBRIDGE, AB – An overwhelming turnout for Lethbridge’s city-wide food drive this past Saturday.
Target Hunger organizers were hoping for 50,000 pounds of food to be donated in those bright yellow bags and residents answered the call.
While contributions are still trickling in, volunteers picked up 73,000 pounds of food for the Interfaith Food Bank and Lethbridge Food Bank.
When factoring in financial contributions, it was almost a $200,000 day.
Executive Director of the Interfaith Food Bank Danielle McIntyre says “for years we set a goal of 100,000 pounds which would equate to one can per person within the city however we knew from the start that Target Hunger would look different this year, and reduced our goal to 50,000. To see our goal not only met, but exceeded is comforting and confirms our community is behind our local food banks in our fight against hunger.”
To put Saturday’s collection into perspective, each food bank processes about 70,000 pounds of food each and every month, and during summer, stocks get quite low.
If you missed the Target Hunger pick-up day you can still fill your yellow bag and drop it at either food bank or at a local grocery store collection bin.
Financial donations are also being accepted online.