Some families in the southeast will be getting a much-needed boost this week with the annual Blow Away Hunger initiative set to take place on Thursday.

Golden West Broadcasting will be collecting donations at three Southern Plains Co-op grocery stores to bring to food banks in the region. Food hampers will then be delivered to families in need heading into the Christmas season.

"We really count on the donations...the food bank is busier. Our numbers are up this year. We're up 29 per cent for people coming and accessing the food bank," said Ronza Reynard, the community ministries director with the Estevan Salvation Army. "So it's really important when we get this community support to keep our shelves full and keep us stocked so we can help each person who contacts us and says that they need our assistance."

"As we go into the Christmas season, there's always that extra need. We count on food drives, and this is one of our big food drives of the year, so it's quite exciting."

You can donate canned goods, hygiene products, and money at the Southern Plains Co-Op grocery stores in Estevan, Carlyle, and Oxbow.

All three of our radio stations (Rock 106, Sun 102, and CJ 1150) will be broadcasting from 8 a.m. to p.m. on Thursday at the Co-op in Estevan.

Donations at the Estevan grocery store will go to the Estevan Salvation Army food bank. Donations in Carlyle will go to the Carlyle food bank. Food donations in Oxbow will go to the Carnduff and District Food Bank, with monetary donations going to the Oxbow Community Emergency Support Fund.

You'll also be able to purchase pre-packaged bags of canned goods or hygiene products at the stores to donate.

"The hampers we give out to people aren't groceries for a full month, they're just a bit to get you going to maybe pay date this week or family allowance cheques and stuff like that. So it's very important that we have this community support and we have people who come out and support the Blow Away Hunger," Reynard said.

She added that all the money donated to the Estevan Salvation Army stays in Estevan to help run their programs.

If you donate, you'll also have a chance to win one of two snow blowers from Canadian Tire.

More information on Blow Away Hunger is available here.

Thank you to our sponsors this year: Redhead Equipment, Southern Plains Co-op, Canadian Tire, Dun Rite Glass, GenCo Asphalt, South East Eyecare, Wood Country, Fired Up Grill and Trican.