Daily Bread struggles to meet goals

As Toronto merrymakers battle the urge to overindulge this holiday season, the Daily Bread Food Bank is fighting to meet its holiday food drive goals.

The charity’s Holiday Drive ends on Wednesday and as of Saturday, the food bank was a little over halfway toward its targets of $2.5 million and one million pounds of food.

“While that number should increase substantially over the next few days, I am worried whether we will reach our goal of $2.5 million by Dec. 31,” said Gail Nyberg, Daily Bread’s executive director in a news release.

Every $1 donated to Daily Bread enables the charity to distribute $5 worth of food, said the release.

The Holiday Drive has raised about $1,828,000 and collected 505,000 lbs. of food so far.

According to its 2013-2014 annual report, 700,700 visits were made to Daily Bread member agencies between April 2013 and March 2014.

The Daily Bread asks for non-perishable food items, which can be donated at local fire stations and participating grocery stores.

The items most needed are peanut butter, canned fish, canned fruits and vegetables, dried or canned beans, baby food and formula, cereal, rice, pasta and tomato sauce.

Hundreds of volunteers will be on hand to help this weekend, to sort and pack donations at the Daily Bread headquarters in Etobicoke — so many in fact, that no more are needed.