St. John’s annual food drive starts in two weeks from today

The City of St. John’s is gearing up for its fifth annual food drive in support of the Community Food Sharing Association.

During this year’s drive — Monday, Nov. 19 to Friday, Nov. 23 — residents can participate by leaving a package of nonperishable food near the road outside their home by 8 a.m. on their respective garbage collection day that week. City staff will patrol the streets in search of donations.

This year, the daily tallies of food collected will be posted on social media using #nlfooddrive. Since 2014, residents have donated more than 450,000 pounds.

Apartment building residents who want to take part should contact their building manager about arranging a pickup through 311.

Donations can also be dropped off at city hall, the H.G.R. Mews Centre, the Paul Reynolds Community Centre, Southlands and Kilbride Lions, and the Shea Heights Community Centre.

Some of the commonly required items used to stock food banks around the province include, but are not limited to:

• peanut butter

• Cheese Whiz

• macaroni and cheese

• canned beans

• canned soup and stew

• dried pasta, noodles and rice

• pasta sauce

• canned meat and fish

• beans and legumes

• canned vegetables and fruit

• canned/powdered milk

• breakfast cereal

• baking supplies