Work begins today to Fill the Bus with non-perishable food items.

The annual tradition sees a friendly competition between Anglophone East schools.

“We use these funds to cover everything from breakfast program to extra lunches. We have high schools compete against high schools, middle schools compete against middle schools, and elementary as well. It really takes the whole community,” Community School Coordinator Natalie Griffin says.

Over $111, 000 worth of food and monetary donations were brought in last year.

Over the past 23 years, the Anglophone East School District’s ‘Fill the Bus’ campaign has raised over $2 million.

“It’s not as much the items that you bring in, but also the weight of the items. We put a $1 amount to every pound. So if you have a case of water that you want to donate, that is probably going to give a lot more than maybe a few cans of soup and cost about the same at this point in time. So really it is the dollar amount at the end of the day.”

The campaign runs until December 21st.

All of the funds and food collected go to support Food Depot Alimentaire programs.