East Salem Elementary school held a school-wide canned food drive for the Salem Food Pantry in early December. Students from all grade levels donated 556 and 1/2 pounds of food to the Food Pantry, according to food drive coordinator and fifth-grade teacher Ellen Chittum.

“We’re always busier at the holidays. I think every food pantry is the same,” said Jenny McCormick, executive director of the Salem Food Pantry. As electric bills start to go up and people have more expenses around Christmas, folks need more assistance from the food pantry, McCormick said.

Pictured here at far left is building manager Byron Whorley and fifth-grade helpers, front row, from left, Darrian Johnson, Zack Hoyer and Ethan Shaw and back row, from left, Rachel Chaos, Amber Wright, Logan Boettcher, Logan DeWalt and Eli Boyer. The fifth-graders were helping Whorley to load the last few donations from the preschool classrooms into his truck before he left for the food pantry on Tuesday, Dec. 18.

The collection at East Salem Elementary finished up on Thursday, Dec. 6.