Photo Provided Barnesville Middle School students help collect non-perishable food items to donate to the Barnesville Thrift Store and Food Pantry during the annual Holiday Food Drive. Pictured in the back, from left, are Cole Eddy, Jada Ewing, Emma Mazgaj, Wyatt Carpenter, Bonita Passmore, Kennedy Little and Brooklyn Miller. In the middle, from left, are Grace Stephen, Bradie Nixon, and Lydia Welch. In the front, from left, are Brielle VanHorn, Aiden Starr and Landyn Wehr.

BARNESVILLE — Multiple entities pulled together to collect non-perishable items and monetary donations to help support those in need during the holiday season.

More than 1,000 food items, along with $400, were donated this year to the Barnesville Thrift Store and Food Pantry during the Barnesville Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Holiday Food Drive. Jill Hissom, director of the chamber, said the food drive is a combined effort between the chamber, Barnesville Middle School Student Council, and Village Hardware and Rental, which offered the store location as a dropoff center for the items.

“We’ve done this for the last couple years,” Hisson said. “It’s just amazing how our community comes together. People have donated the non-perishable items as well as very generous monetary donations.”

Danielle Anderson, middle school technology assistant and adviser for the student council, said the students wanted to do something positive for the community amid the holidays.

“It’s a great community activity to give back to those in our local area. The kids really enjoy it, and this time of year is about giving so we wanted to give back to the community that definitely gives back to them during the school year,” she said.

Anderson said this is the second year the school has participated. Students at the middle school were encouraged to bring in as many items as they could with an incentive of an ice cream party for the class with the most items donated. She said the cold treat incentive made students more excited about the contest, and the winning class of fifth-graders ended up bringing in nearly 400 items.

“We did it last year and we didn’t have as good of a turnout, so this year we wanted to do something a little bit bigger and better,” she said. “It was really nice, and the kids enjoyed it.”

The event was held throughout the month, ending Friday when staff at the food pantry retrieved the items.

Denise Bunting, manager of the food pantry, said the agency is grateful for all the donations. She said the gifts will help feed more than 50 local residents.

Bunting said the recent food drive is the largest donation the pantry has received in the past five years.

“A lot of people really step up. … It’s really nice. Without the donations, I don’t know if we could go on. The donations are a really big help,” she said, adding that Antero, an oil and gas company, provided a monetary donation and Riesbeck’s Food Market donates food items throughout the year.

Those in need of food items can call 740-425-9438 or stop by the pantry at 116 S. Gardner Street. In order to be eligible to receive food from the pantry, a person must be a resident of the Barnesville Exempted Village School District and financially qualify for assistance. Bunting said individuals must bring proof of income and a utility bill to verify residency.

The pantry doubles as a thrift store, which also helps fund the pantry.