Obby Khan is hoping to help his former team feed the hungry as part of "Tackle Hunger," a nationwide effort to see which city with a CFL franchise can raise the most money and food for charity.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are hoping to beat last year's winners, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Khan, a member of Winnipeg's Muslim community, was encouraging people in the city to help Winnipeg Harvest raise 500 pounds of food Friday night at an event he's hosting at his restaurant, Shawarma Khan.

"The Give 30 campaign started in Toronto by a lawyer who was fasting for the month of Ramadan, and he said, 'Hey, I'm not drinking Tim Hortons, I'm not buying lunch everyday,'" said Khan.

"He started to put $2, $4, $10 away everyday in a little jar. [At the] end of the month, he had a hundred bucks and he said, 'Why not donate that to someone who needs it?'"

David Northcott, executive director​ at Winnipeg Harvest, said the food bank is grateful for the charitable donations of Winnipeggers.

"The tough thing is looking kids in the eye, and the family and the mom in the eye, and [saying], 'We have run out of food,'" said Northcott.

"I don't want that experience; I'd rather say 'Yes, we have enough' because Winnipeggers and Manitobans have been really good."

Kobra Rahimi, a volunteer with the event who grew up in a refugee camp in Iraq, said she was surprised to learn a place like Winnipeg still has issues feeding segments of its population.

"I was really excited to be involved, because when I came here I was shocked to know that there is actually poverty here in Winnipeg and Canada," Rahimi said.

"Many children and families struggle with having basic necessities of life [met] … I had to get involved."

Winnipeg Harvest expects about 400 people to attend the Friday night event.