Doug Elkins looked at the cans and boxes of food and smiled. The shelves of the Ironton Church of Christ are full right now, and he said that is a good thing.

"We helped 284 families last month, and every month it increases," Elkins said.

This week, the Church of Christ will be able to help more needy families, thanks to seventh- and eighth-grade students at Ironton Junior High School. The children donated 2,700 food items to the church's food pantry. The school's Kids Care Club organized the food drive. All of the food was collected in one week's time.

"This means a whole lot," Elkins said. "With the work conditions the way they are in this part of the country, well a lot of food goes out of here."

Doing a good deed for someone else meant something to the students, too.

"I felt sorry for those less fortunate," Jonathon Schweikart said.

"And the good thing was that everyone participated in this," Steven Sinnott said. "I guess we're helping out a whole lot of people."

This is the first year the Kids Care Club has organized a food drive. The kids said they plan to do it again next year.