Tops Friendly Markets began its 18th annual Food for Families campaign on Sunday, Nov. 10, asking shoppers to donate a “Little Brown Bag of Hope” when they shop at their local store.

All food collected from the campaign, which extends through Dec. 24, will be donated to Foodlink. The focal point of the campaign for the Rochester area is Dec. 13, which is when Foodlink and Tops officials appear on WROC News 8 all day long to promote the event. Once again this year, Citizens is supporting the campaign with a $10,000 donation.

At the register, customers will be asked if they want to support the campaign by buying a $5, $10, and/or $20 bag — or to round up their change. Little Brown Bags, which are filled with nutritious items, will help families served by Foodlink’s network of food pantries and meal programs throughout a 10-county region.

Virtual Little Brown Bags of Hope will also be available for purchase online, so no matter what the weather, a donation can be made right from their phone, tablet, or desktop. Here customers can select what food bank they wish their donation to benefit.

“We always look forward to working alongside our partners at Tops for their annual Food for Families campaign, which serves as one of the largest food drives of the year for Foodlink,” said Julia Tedesco, President & CEO of Foodlink. “Perhaps more importantly, it allows Foodlink to educate the community about the local impact of food insecurity on thousands of our neighbors. So far this year, we have seen a 47% rise in requests for food assistance, and events like this provide critical support during the busy holiday season.”