BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Erie County Sheriff's Office Mounted Reserve Unit holds two food drives a year to help the Response to Love Center.
The first of those food drives happened Sunday at The Broadway Market, which was bustling with shoppers now one week from the Easter holiday. The food drive attempts to capitalize on that foot traffic to help people less fortunate.
Inflation, in particular with food prices, added to the event's significance.
"We're seeing an increase," Michael Gilhooly of the Response to Love Center told 2 On Your Side. "We served 11,120 meals in November, and we're a relatively small organization to do that kind of numbers. We need this sort of support."
The campaign — held before Easter and Christmas each year — helps stock the Response to Love Center food pantry.
Last year the Mounted Reserve Unit collected more than 2,000 pounds of food and more than $3,000 in cash, checks, and gift cards during the two food drives.