Toronto families in need are to receive charity food gift bags.

Families in Toronto who are finding it difficult to make ends meet could receive a helping hand, thanks to a scheme underway at the Daily Bread Food Bank.

Some 75 hard-working volunteers are currently putting together gift bags of food, which will later be given to 12,000 deserving families in the Greater Toronto Area.

The Toronto Star reports that the project was initially created five years ago by the Santa Claus Fund and in partnership with the Daily Bread it seeks to help underprivileged families.

When making their first visit to one of the food banks, people receive a bag with items such as rice, porridge, fruit, pancake mix, syrup and peanut butter to help fill their kitchen cupboards.

The idea of the scheme, according to organisers is to provide food that is easy to prepare and can be shared among the entire family.

Much of the ingredients can also be used in children's school lunches, meaning parents have a few extra dollars to spare.

Over a two day period, 300 Cisco Systems employees and family members spent hours filling and assembling bags, so that they were ready to be shipped to one of the Greater Toronto Area's five food banks.

One individual to help out with the cause was Rhonda Rapson, a global accounts manager at the firm, who told the newspaper that she and her family were happy to help out.

"I think it's great for kids to give back to the community and recognise that there are people less fortunate than they are," she said.

While the kids are usually so busy with extracurricular activities and sports she said that the day was about stopping what they usually do and helping out local people who are less fortunate than themselves.

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