A record amount of donations poured into The San Francisco Chronicle’s Season of Sharing Fund, with the millions of dollars helping 4,500 families as well as food banks across the nine Bay Area counties.

“We are very grateful to our more than 5,400 donors who provided $8 million in support of Season of Sharing this year,” said The Chronicle’s publisher, Jeff Johnson. “This record total will help thousands of Bay Area residents who need critical assistance for food and shelter and reflects the great generosity of this region.”

The annual Season of Sharing campaign is the largest philanthropic effort of any newspaper-based media company. Since it began in 1986, it has raised more than $113 million and has helped more than 100,000 individuals.

The funds provide a range of support to people and families in crisis, covering a month or two of rent or mortgage costs to keep them housed, paying medical bills, or delivering basic needs such as food or a kitchen table.

The money raised also supports Bay Area food banks, contributing more than $1.2 million this year and resulting in more than 2.52 million meals served. Over the last three decades, the Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund has contributed $18 million to the nine counties’ food banks.

The fund’s administrative costs are covered by the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund and The San Francisco Chronicle, officials said, which means that 100 percent of the money raised is spent on the families and communities served.

This story was written by Jill Tucker, a staff reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle. You can follow her on Twitter: @jilltucker‏.

The original article can be found here.