Area women and high schoolers hope to help feed Austin families.

The Women’s Leadership Initiative’s first annual WLI Weekend Backpack Food Drive is this Saturday, Sept. 21.

Initiative members and the Austin High School Student Council will be at Hy-Vee and Jim’s Marketplace on Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon collecting food and cash donations.

“The WLI Weekend Food Backpack program provides easy to prepare food for children and their siblings who are identified as being food insecure. By providing a few food items for the kids over the weekend we are helping struggling families make ends meet and ensure children are being fed.” said Emily Harris, WLI and Event Committee member.

The initiative supports the weekend backpack programs at Southgate Elementary School and Woodson Kindergarten Center, as well as personal care closets at all of Austin’s elementary schools.

Every year, Austin High School students hold a food drive during homecoming week. This year, they are partnering with the initiative and focusing on collecting food specific to the backpack program.

“We loved the idea of helping out fellow students with this food drive,” said Merideth Fritz, student council president, in a press release. “Plus any food that is donated but does not work for the backpack program will be going to the local food shelf so everyone is being helped.”

Items the group is collecting are easy to prepare, shelf stable items such as: micro cups, fruit cups, individually wrapped single serving snacks, granola bars, and instant oatmeal packets.

The initiative is open to all women in Mower County. If you are interested in learning more or joining WLI please visit the United Way of Mower County’s website at www.uwmower.org/wli