Just in time for back to school, McDonald's and the Inn of the Good Shepherd have teamed up again for Loonies for Lunches.
The annual fundraiser will help purchase snack items for students in need.
The initiative started when a flood devastated Peterborough. Sarnia and Petrolia McDonald's Owners Colleen and Peter Buckley organized a drive to help out, and the Inn lent its truck for delivering supplies.
The next year, the Buckley's returned the favour with the first ever Loonies for Lunches.
Inn Executive Director Myles Vanni said customers visiting local McDonald's restaurants will be asked for a $1 donation.
"At the drive-thru and at the till some of the customer service reps, they'll be asking you to make a donation to support our back to school program," said Vanni. " Which is making sure we have juice boxes and lunch items and granola bars, all those things in the food bank so kids will be able to have lunches at school."
Vanni said with food prices and inflation straining family budgets, demand for assistance is high.
"We're seeing about 2,200 people a month now accessing the food bank, just over 900 of them will be children," he said. "Which is really kind of scary in our community that so many families, so many kids need that help."
McDonalds spokesperson Darlene Black said over the last 20 years, Loonies for Lunches has raised over $135,000.
"Our whole city is great when it comes to fundraising and we always have an ask of some sort, whether it's large size your fries or do you want coke with that?", said Black. "Now we're asking them for a loonie for lunch, maybe a toonie here and there to really boost it for 20 years."
Loonies for Lunches runs from Sunday August, 24 to Sunday, September 7.