The Business Cares Food Drive is celebrating 25 years of giving in London.
The annual campaign concluded with a ‘Morning of Magic’ celebration Thursday. A total of 683,000 pounds of food was collected during the campaign.
With volunteers and business supporters looking on, cheque after cheque crossed the stage at the Western Fair Agriplex.
The money, combined with bin upon bin of donated food, goes directly to the London Food Bank (LFB).
“It comes from the heart, and as a result, it’s amazing!" said Wayne Dunn, campaign chair.
Dunn has been at the centre of Business Cares for a quarter of a century. He says It started with a vision to help and a small goal.
“Thirty-six thousand pounds and virtually no money", Dunn recalled. "It was all about food then and would have been a 10th of the size of what you're seeing in here.”
It is a humble statement, given the 2023 total was nearly 20 times that amount, and it is all needed in the community.
Food inflation and the housing crisis have increased the LFB client list.
“We're still up about 6 per cent over where we were last year. So, the need is continuing." said Co-Director Jane Roy.
However, a new challenge for food banks and food donation drives is looming on the horizon if incoming U.S. President Donald Trump makes good on his tariff threats, with concern that already soaring food prices may climb higher.
“Well, the 25 per cent tariffs could be scary. Definitely scary", Roy told CTV News London "You know, in terms of when you look at the numbers of people coming to us, I mean, they're already paying a lot more for food and a lot more for rent.”
But Dunn is confident that no matter what, the community will find a way.
“Any challenge that is put before us, and we've had several, like you look at the Covid years and how we did that and how we came out of it. The same would be with the tariffs.”
It is that never-quit spirit that draws people to ‘Wayne’s World,’ as his colleagues affectionately dub his efforts.
It is another humble tribute to a man who has given so much of himself to the benefit of so many others.
But in typical style, Wayne turns the spotlight back on the community.
“And so from my heart to everybody, Thank you for believing in us and supporting us doing what we are trying to do,” said Dunn.
