NORWICH – The SUNY Morrisville Human Services organization, in partnership with local volunteers, churches and community groups, is leading a charge against hunger in what's become a tradition in the Norwich community.

Beginning Friday, April 11, students in the Human Services Organization (HSO) will take to the streets of Norwich, hanging plastic bags on the front doors of homes throughout the city along with a note explaining their efforts. Residents will be encouraged to fill the bag with non-perishable food items and place it outside their door on Sunday, April 13, to be collected by volunteers.

The goal, say organizers, is to heighten awareness about hunger in the community and help stock the shelves of local food cupboards. Food collected will be split between Roots and Wings of Chenango County and Our Daily Bread food pantries.

While this is a familiar routine to HSO – now in its fifth year of conducting the spring time food drive – organizers hope to benefit from a new approach this time around.

“We wanted to expand our efforts and get as much of the community involved as possible,” explained Pastor Tom Olson, a leading advocated for HSO. “This year, we're trying something different to make that happen.”

HSO has teamed up with organizers of the annual Norwich “Hunger Walk,” a volunteer-driven effort to raise awareness of hunger in Chenango County. They also sought help from local businesses and received it from Matthews Auto in Norwich, and the Norwich Business Improvement District (BID). Matthews Auto will serve as a collection site for non-perishable food items which will be added to that collected by the HSO, Olson explained. And the BID is encouraging participants in this year's annual Easter egg hunt in East Park to bring food items to donate.

What’s more, HSO received an extra bout of support from the Sherburne Big M, which donated the plastic bags to collect food from local residences.