4:20pm | With the holiday season of giving approaching, local charities are banding together for the annual Long Beach Community Food Drive in hopes of collecting 100,000 pounds of food for the needy. Anyone interested can find suggested items and the nearest drop-off location at longbeach.gov/mayor. Donations will be accepted until January 31, 2011.

“Long Beach residents and businesses have always responded generously to our request for donations,” said Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster.  “This year’s food drive goal is to collect 100,000 pounds of food, which would provide three meals a day to approximately 2,547 families for a week.”  

The effort is the result of several organizations working together. The office of Mayor Foster, local non-profit Food Finders and Friends of Long Beach Animals are all involved yet again. This year, local non-profit and staging-live.lbpost.com contributors We Love Long Beach will also sign on to lend support.

“The Long Beach Community Food Drive is the perfect chance for all of us to work together and make a difference in the lives of families and individuals throughout our city,” said Scott Jones, co-founder/director of We Love Long Beach.  “We’re once again grateful for the partnership between Food Finders, the Mayor and Friends of Long Beach Animals.  One hundred thousand pounds!  Let’s do this!”

Collection barrels will be placed at several locations around the city to collect canned or packaged food. Pet food will also be accepted. All donations will go to needy families and their pets in Long Beach.

“Many families won’t be able to have festive dinners or toys for the kids this year without our help,” said Arlene Mercer, Food Finders executive director.  “Once again, we are asking for canned and packaged food as well as pet food.  This year, we are also asking for monetary donations to help Food Finders purchase turkeys and hams to be given to Long Beach families.”