The 16th annual Ritchie’s Food Drive for Romero House in Saint John will provide essential help to the Brunswick Drive soup kitchen this year.

The support is always appreciated, but never more so than in a year with shocking increases in the costs of food and fuel.

Evelyn McNulty, executive director of Romero House, said they would typically serve 82,000 meals in one year prior to COVID-19.

“Last year we served 133,000 and I think this year we’re probably going to hit 150,000 meals,” McNulty said.

McNulty said the soup kitchen makes a lot of basic meals using pasta, rice, and canned vegetables when they can’t get fresh ones in.

“In the fall, we used diced tomatoes and spaghetti sauce. We also use a tremendous amount of sandwich fixings like tuna, canned ham or turkey,” McNulty said.

McNulty said they are grateful for the local support from everyone including volunteers and donors.

“It’s absolutely amazing that we have more than doubled our service through COVID and we haven’t run out of food, hands to prepare it and the finances to keep everything running. Hats off to the Saint John community,” McNulty said.

The food drive started Monday and continues until Saturday.

Donations of non-perishable food donations and cash are being accepted at Ritchie’s between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday, on Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday from 8 a.m. until noon.

Ritchie’s Building and Flooring Centre is located at 715 Rothesay Avenue in Saint John, N.B.