BALTIMORE (WJZ)—It’s a big anniversary for the Orioles annual food drive. This year the event marks its 25th anniversary, and it starts this weekend.

Gigi Barnett has more.

Pound for pound, the Orioles’ annual food drive raises hundreds. Inside the Maryland Food Bank, the shelves are empty and food is low.

But an orange bucket and thousands of generous O’s fans could bring a big boost.

This weekend WJZ will team up with the Orioles as they kick off their annual food drive. Everything collected goes right back to the Maryland Food Bank.

This is a big year for O’s food drive; 2011 marks an anniversary for the event.

“This is the 25th annual food bank, and we want to make sure this is a big 25th anniversary,” Angela Showalter said.

The goal is a hefty one. Last year fans gave about $20,000.

This year, the O’s want to raise that to $30,000 and pounds of food because the summer is slow when it comes to donations. The need is great.

“It’s middle class families, people that are working 40, 50, 60 hours a week and just can’t make ends meet and unfortunately the first thing to go is food,” said Mandy Walsh, Maryland Food Bank.

The Maryland Food Bank says this weekend it will take almost anything. Two things they can’t take: medicine and expired foods.

“This is a time when we really do need help from Marylanders,” Walsh  said.

The food bank says last year it raised 2,500 pounds of canned foods, and when it comes to food there is no limit on their goal. They want to raise as much as possible.