Onkel Hans Food Drive delivers more than 34,000 meals

We get a look at what it takes to sort though hundreds of food bank donations to make sure they get to people in need.

Organizers for Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest say the community turned out “in a big way” for this year’s Onkel Hans Food Drive and Stuff A Bus events, delivering a major boost to the Food Bank of Waterloo Region.

The initiative, which was supported by Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest, the Kitchener Rangers, CTV News Kitchener, Pillers, Ontario Turkey, Grand River Transit, Fairview Park Mall and Centre in the Square, saw a significant increase in donations.

This year, more than 10,191 pounds of food were collected, there were $12,765.66 in monetary donations and 34,024 meals provided to those facing food insecurity.

Since its inception, the food drive has contributed more than 1.4 million meals throughout the community.

Organizers extended a “heartfelt danke schön” to donors, volunteers and supporters who contributed to the initiative.