The Salvation Army Food Bank in Owen Sound is ensuring people in the community are fed this holiday season after raking in over $53,000 worth of cash donations, food, and premade bags during the 3rd Annual CFOS Food Drive.
The drive was held earlier this month at seven grocery stores over 12 hours including at Zehrs in Owen Sound where 89.3 CFOS FM broadcasted its morning show live.
89.3 CFOS FM Food Drive Dave Carr with Alice Wannan
During the drive, the community came out and donated just over $17,000, more than 5,500 premade bags, over 10,000 pounds of food between premade bags and other food donations.
Alice Wannan, Salvation Army Community Family Service Director and Manager for Owen Sound and Saugeen Shores says, “It was an incredible day and I think one of the things that I just, it overwhelms me is just the community support. Every single grocery store in our community participated, which I think is just an incredible thing to be able to share.”
After three years of holding the event, the drive has raised more than $150,000 for the Salvation Army.
The donations support the Salvation Army in the face of a large increase in the demand for its services.
“Everybody knows somebody who is struggling and everybody is facing those harder times because every cost is going up and to be able to share that even amongst all of those trails that everybody is facing, we still were able to together raise $53,000 to help people in this community,” says Wannan.