Rural Health holding kids' summer food drives in southern Illinois

Rural Health Inc. of southern Illinois has organized a series of food drives in May to help feed children while school is out for the summer.

When school is not in session, many families depend on local food pantries for their kids' meals.

To help stock up for the summer, three food drives will be held in southern Illinois:

Thursday, May 14 at the Goreville Food Market, to benefit Arrowleaf Food Pantry in Vienna.

Friday, May 22 at Big Johns in Metropolis, to benefit the COPE food pantry.

Thursday, May 28 at Kroger in Anna, to benefit the Shawnee Development food pantry.

All events will take place from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Anything non-perishable will be accepted, but Rural Health is asking donors to consider nutritious items that are “kid-friendly” and easy for children to make themselves. This can include mac ‘n cheese boxes, canned meals (ravioli, spaghetti, chicken, etc.), peanut butter, ramen noodles, individual boxes of cereal, crackers, individual fruit cups, and juice boxes.