Details were unveiled last week and collection begins this week. Project Salina, an annual effort to feed the hungry, begins today.

Project Salina unites multiple businesses and organizations in an effort to collect food for five agencies that serve meals, or distribute food, throughout the year. Food will be collected throughout the month of May.

This year marks 29 years of the effort. Project Salina began back in 1990. It started as an effort to help agencies that provide food when their need is the greatest, in the summer months. The agencies typically see a lot of donations during the holidays, but by the summer months their shelves are getting bare.

In that first year, 23 organizations gathered 56,465 food items for three local agencies. The effort has grown over the years.

This year the need is even greater, and the goal even loftier. The goal is to collect over 300,000 food items for the five agencies that feed Salina’s hungry. The agencies include:

• Ashby House
• Salina Rescue Mission
• Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank
• Salina Salvation Army
• Domestic Violence Association of Central Kansas.

Project Salina provides about 40% of the annual food needs for the organizations.

Rocking M Media radio stations this year will be collecting hot cereal. Station personalities will be at the Dillon’s grocery store on East Cloud Street every Wednesday through May from 4 – 6 pm collection donations for the effort.