(Kingston ON, May 14, 2012) Volunteer canvassers for the 27th Annual Hotel Dieu Hospital Food Blitz will be running door to door between 6 and 9 pm, Wednesday, May 16, their sights set on collecting 100,000 non-perishable food items for the Partners in Mission Food Bank.

“We’ve already seen a 10 per cent increase in demand this year over last year at this time,” says Food Bank Executive Director Sandy Singers. “As always, we’re grateful for assistance from the community at this time of year when we really need to stock up for the summer months ahead.”

The Food Bank is in particular need of peanut butter, juice, rice, tuna, canned fruits and canned vegetables, but all donations are welcome. Baby food and formula will be gratefully accepted also.

On Blitz night, householders are invited to hand their donations to identified canvassers at the door or to leave them bagged on the doorstep for pick-up. (For peoples convenience a collection bag was included in the May 10 issue of Kingston This Week.)

Donations can also be dropped off weekdays at the Food Bank at 140 Hickson Ave. or at all major grocery retailers. Monetary donations can be made via the Food Bank’s website at www.kingstonfoodbank.net.

For details about the Blitz, please call the Food Bank at 613-544-4534.

Fast facts:

• Since the Food Bank opened its doors in 1984, 223,798 food hampers have been distributed to low-income families throughout the greater Kingston area.
• Each year, the Food Bank aims to collect 100,000 food items. Last year it exceeded the goal by 20,000 lbs.
• In total, the annual Food Blitz has collected 2,387,411 lbs.
• Since the fall of 2008 the Food Bank has experienced a 22% increase in demand for assistance.
• In 2011, the Food Bank distributed almost 30,000 lbs of food to area hot-meal/shelter programs.

Hotel Dieu Hospital is the ambulatory care teaching and research hospital for Kingston and Southeastern Ontario, affiliated with Queen’s University. We provide expert care to more than 500,000 people in the region through specialized programs including pediatrics, medicine, cardiology, surgery, mental health, oncology and urgent care. We deliver quality, safe health care, while advancing innovative research and educating the health care professionals of the future. Leading the transformation of ambulatory care L'Hôpital Hôtel-Dieu est l'établissement de soins ambulatoires universitaire pour Kingston et le Sud-Est de l'Ontario affilié à l’Université Queen's. Il fournit des soins spécialisés à plus de 500 000 personnes de la région. Parmi ses services spécialisés, mentionnons les services de pédiatrie, de médecine, de cardiologie, de chirurgies, de santé mentale, d’oncologie et de soins d'urgence. L'hôpital fournit des services de soins de santé sûrs et de qualité tout en menant des recherches novatrices et en formant les professionnels de la santé de demain.Chef de file pour la transformation des soins ambulatoires