A troop of parishioners from Greater Victoria churches are making it easy for people to donate to local food banks.

About 600 people will drop off plastic bags at 12,000 addresses around the region beginning Sept. 14. They hope residents will fill the bags with non-perishable foods to donate to food banks in the lead-up to Thanksgiving Day.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 important that, in this time, we as members of the community do something really tangible to support our citizens and families,B次元官网网址� said Deborah Nohr, who is helping organize the food drive.

This is the first such drive in Greater Victoria. It started two years ago on the Lower Mainland. This year, five congregations of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints brought the initiative to the Island.

After placing food in the bags, residents can leave them at the front door before 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 17. Volunteers will pick up the bags, sort the food at a sorting station, then deliver the goods to the Mustard Seed Food Bank, the Sidney Lions Food Bank, the Salt Spring Island Community Services Food Bank and the Goldstream Food Bank Society.

Food banks around the region have seen especially low stocks. The Goldstream Food Bank told the ****B次元官网网址 in a recent interview their food levels are at a 20-year low.

What to donate

B次元官网网址� canned meat and fish

B次元官网网址� canned fruit and vegetables

B次元官网网址� peanut butter

B次元官网网址� baby formula and baby food

B次元官网网址� rice

B次元官网网址� whole wheat pasta and sauce

B次元官网网址� snack for kidsB次元官网网址� lunches, such as pudding or Jell-O cups