NORFOLK, Va. — The Mayflower Marathon food drive is returning this weekend across the Hampton Roads, an event that will help families facing hunger this holiday season.
The food drive, hosted by Classic Rock 106.9 The Fox (WAFX) and FM99 (WNOR), will start Friday at 5:30 a.m. and go round-the-clock until Sunday at 3 p.m.
There are five different places across the greater Hampton Roads region where people can provide food and monetary donations.
The Southside locations are Lynnhaven Mall in Virginia Beach and Kroger Marketplace at 1017 University Boulevard in Suffolk, while those on the Peninsula can go to the Kroger at 1050 West Mercury Boulevard at Coliseum Central in Hampton and the Kroger at 5007-2 Victory Boulevard in York County.
This year's drive will also have a location at the welcome center in Moyock, North Carolina, for the first time.
Donations will go to the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore on the Southside, the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank on the Peninsula, and the Foodbank of the Albemarle in Moyock.
“The local foodbanks are continuing to see double-digit increases in the number of families, seniors, and other individuals coming to our doors," said Karen Joyner, the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank's CEO.
"This year, it has been particularly difficult as we have been without the large food donations of the past and have had to purchase more food than ever before just to keep food available for our partner agencies to access and give out for free to our neighbors in need. We rely on the generosity of our friends around the region during the annual Mayflower Marathon Food Drive to help us restock our shelves."