National Honor Society, Junior Civitan and the Air Force JROTC are collecting food for the food pantry for students and families in need.

Starting from Nov. 3 through Nov. 20, students can donate to their first block A day classes and freshmen bring it to their first period classes. In year’s past, the food used to be sent to the Rice Depot, but English teacher, Karen Shumaker came up with the idea of donating the food for the food pantry.

“NHS focuses on service,” Paula Barker, oral communications teacher, said. “What better way of serving than helping our own students who may not have enough food for the Thanksgiving holidays.”

Some of the food items students can bring are microwavable meals, canned food, boxed mixes, rice, peanut butter, granola bars, and other dry and nonperishable food.

The collectors are hoping to have enough food to send home food baskets over the Thanksgiving break for students who rely on the school for their main meals.

“Some of our students receive their only meals on campus. When we have an extended break, those students could go without,” Barker said. “We want to prevent that.”

The first and second placed classes who gather the most food will get a pastry and orange juice party.

“While this is strictly for the Thanksgiving break, our food pantry needs to continue to be stocked throughout the year,” Barker said. “Buy a little extra when you’re at Walmart and send it to the pantry. If we all pitched in a little, we could help so many.”