The Daily Bread Food Band extended its Spring Food Drive after donations fell seriously short this year.

The charity was hoping to raise $250,000 and 250,000 lbs. of food, but so far only $70,000 and 78,000 lbs. of goods have been donated.

"The donations from the Spring Drive help fill the shelves and make sure we have enough food over the summer months, when donations tend to slow down because our donors are on summer vacation,” Daily Bread executive director Gail Nyberg said. “Hunger doesn't take a holiday and that's why the donations from this drive are so important. So to see how slow it is right now worries me a lot."

The food bank’s transportation manager, Andy Quinn, said there’s been significantly less demand for drivers to go out on pickups during the latest drive.

"I've been here through 16 drives, and this is the slowest I've ever seen it,” he said. “We'll need to dig deep to get through this one."

The spring drive was originally slated to end this week, but the effort has been extended to April 17th. Hundreds of volunteers will be sorting donations at the warehouse Monday.

Here’s a look at some of the items Daily Bread needs most:

• peanut butter
• baby formula and food
• canned fruit or vegetables
• canned fish or meat
• dried pasta and tomato sauce
• macaroni and cheese
• rice, lentils, cans of stew or hearty soup
• cans of beans
• powdered, canned or tetra pak milk.
  
  

You can call the food bank at (416) 203-0050 to make a donation or you can donate online here.