WTVM’s Share Your Thanks Food Drive begins Monday

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - WTVM’s annual Share Your Thanks Food Drive begins Monday and runs through Wednesday, Nov. 18. All proceeds will go to Feeding the Valley Food Bank and the Food Bank of East Alabama.Officials with Feeding the Valley said drives like this are essential during the holidays. They said demand for help goes up this time of year, and donations help keep shelves stocked and families fed.The event is designed for the community to bring in food items to support both food banks.Why food drives matterFrank Sheppard, director of Feeding the Valley Food Bank, said food drives account for a large share of the food the organization receives.“Because food drives mean a lot to us. They amount to about a million pounds of food that comes in each year and we need the community’s help,” Sheppard said.Jay Cannon, chief administrative officer for Feeding the Valley Food Bank, said food drives help ease food shortages at food banks.“So Feeding the Valley is going through a food shortage