CBC's Feed a Family campaign begins in a year of sky-high demand

CBC Prince Edward Island's annual campaign in support of local food banks is underway in the leadup to the holidays.

Last year, the Feed a Family campaign raised more than $87,000and collected about 3,300 turkeys for Christmas dinners.

This year, the fundraiser comes at a time when a growing number of Islanders are relying on food banks for their next meal.

Mike MacDonald, the executive director of Charlottetown's Upper Room Food Bank, says demand is up 27 per cent compared to the same time last year, when the pinch of inflation was already starting to be felt.

"We have up to 150 families coming in a day," he said. "Those shelves empty pretty quickly."

December, January and February are the busiest months for the group, said MacDonald. "That's a real difficult time for a lot of people."

While donated turkeys are one of the most popular items this time of year, he said peanut butter is a close second.

"It's that item that we try to give to everybody when they come through the doors," he said.

There are 19 locations across the province where Islanders can donate food, including the Upper Room Food Bank on Belmont Street in Charlottetown. Cash donations are also welcome, said MacDonald.

To donate online, visit the CBC P.E.I. website.

Getting groceries? Donations will be accepted at the following locations:

• Moe's Your Independent Grocer Alberton
• Bloomfield Foodland
• Charlottetown Foodland
• Charlottetown Superstore
• MacPhees Independent Grocery Souris
• Mike's Your Independent Grocer Kensington
• Montague Sobeys
• Montague Superstore
• O'Leary Co-op
• Sobeys Allen Street
• Sobeys West Royalty
• Sobeys Stratfored
• Summerside Police Station
• Summerside Sobeys
• Summerside Superstore
• Tignish Co-op
• Upper Room Food Bank 33 Belmont Street, Charlottetown
• Upper Room Soup Kitchen 101 Richmond Street, Charlottetown
• West Royalty Superstore