GREECE, N.Y. (WROC) - 'Tis the season of giving! We at News 8 are quickly approaching one of our longtime traditions: a partnership with Tops Friendly Markets to help raise money and donations for Foodlink. It's part of our 18th annual Food for Families Drive happening Friday at the Tops on Mt. Read Blvd. in Greece. Friday, and throughout the holiday season, you can stop in at any local Tops store to help those in need. The 18th Annual Food for Families Food Driv This week, Foodlink and Tops announced they've surpassed a significant goal of over 1 million pounds of food donated over the course of 18 years of the campaign. "We are once again selling our Little Brown Bags of Hope at all local Tops stores now through Dec. 24. They come in $5, $10, or $20 increments. Inside the bags are all the nutritional items Foodlink is looking for to help extend family meal planning," said Andy Brocato, who oversees corporate contributions for Tops Friendly Markets. Organizers said the 1-million-pound mark is a major step in helping those who need it most. "We're very excited. Every nickel and dollar all adds up. We take all those funds, buy all the food, and turn it over to Foodlink. Last year, we sent several tractor-trailers of food, so it makes a lot of difference in the lives of those less fortunate," said Brocato. Foodlink distributes close to 25 million pounds of food per year, which is no small feat. It's thanks in part to generous and ongoing support from the community. "The need isn't just around the holiday time. We have a network of 250 pantries we service across our 10-county service area. They're seeing, this year, a 47-percent increase compared to the clients they served last year. Looking at food insecurity rates in our region, there's a 12-percent insecurity rate. So, about 150,000 people in our region are in need of food," said Morgan Kelly, director of operations at Foodlink. Little Brown Bags of Hope can be found at the cash register. You can also donate in person or online. "This is a wonderful campaign. I can't spread the word enough to get down to your local Tops through Christmas Eve to help donate. All that product will be coming here to go across our 10-county region, which is greatly needed," said Kelly.