Cardinals defensive lineman Nick Eason (center) helps the St. Mary's Food Bank and Sagicor Life Insurance during a recent food drive.

The Cardinals set their goals high this year.

After serving 72,000 meals last holiday season, the team joined forces with Sagicor Life Insurance Company and St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance with the mission to serve more than 100,000 meals in 2012.

Leading up to the Cardinals' "Monday Night Football" game against the San Francisco 49ers in late October, fans were asked to donate non-perishable food items or cash to the food bank.

The event was kicked off at the St. Mary's Food Bank prior to the game, when defensive lineman Nick Eason declared the food drive open for business.

As of October, the food bank's reserves were down 40 percent from 2011, Jerry Brown, director of public relations for St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance said.

"We're hoping that big events like this one are able to helps us out with that as we move into the holidays," Brown said.

With Thanksgiving have come and gone, and the winter holidays approaching, the food bank is working in overdrive. And it's taking the help from wherever it can get it.

"Our vision is to help the communities where we operate," said Bart Catmull, the COO of Sagicor. "That's one of our key responsibilities that we see as a corporate entity."