Foothill students are collecting boxed and canned food for Ventura Unified School District’s annual Cheers for Children food drive that began on November 26.

Cheers for Children is a monthly process with the goal of providing food for 350 families throughout the district.

“The purpose of Cheers for Children is to collect food from residents around our community to give to those who will not have enough to eat during the holiday season,” ASB representative in charge of Cheers for Children junior Chris Ramirez said. “I believe it is our obligation to help those who are in need of assistance.”

All food is collected by December 17 and is boxed by volunteers on December 19 at Balboa Middle School. Volunteers then return to Balboa Middle School on Christmas Eve to help deliver the packaged food to 350 families in the district.

“I am more than happy to donate food that I probably wouldn’t eat in my house to families in need,” sophomore Kaden Clark said.

Foothill’s food suggestions are dried mixes such as bread, biscuit, cornbread and cake, Jell-O and pudding mix, sugar, and Maseca or instant corn flour.

Foothill’s goal is to collect 1,000 cans of food, which would be equivalent to last year’s total.

“I plan on having some sort of competition for the food collection, but I haven’t yet decided what the prize is,” Ramirez said.

Students are glad to be able to help families in need during the holiday season.

“Giving is a much more rewarding feeling than receiving during the holidays,” sophomore Evan Askar said.