JENNINGS — ’Tis the season for giving and one great way to give back is to help those in need.

The Jeff Davis Parish Council on Aging and KLFY-TV 10 are hosting their annual FoodNet Food for Families Food Drive, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 7, at the Council on Aging, 202 South St., in Jennings. Residents are asked to drop off their donations through the drive thru.

“This is very, very important to us now more than ever,” COA Executive Director Helen Langley said. “We need to restock our (food) pantry.”

Langley said the pantry is in desperate need of restocking after last year’s hurricanes and COVID-19 increased the need for both families and senior citizens

“We have seen an increase in the numbers we serve since the hurricanes, but the food has not been coming in to restock,” she said. “We have emptied out our pantry.”

Jeff Davis Parish residents, businesses and schools are encouraged to donate non-perishable food to help refill the empty shelves in time for the holidays. Monetary donations will also be accepted to help stock the pantry.

Donations of non-perishable food items, including canned meats including tuna, chicken and chili, canned pasta, rice, breakfast bars, pop tarts, cereal, canned fruit including peaches and fruit cocktail, may be dropped off during the drive-thru collection.

Toiletries including toilet paper, soap, shampoo and toothpaste will also be collected to help stock the comfort closet for those in need.

The food pantry and comfort closet are open year-round and serves all residents of Jeff Davis Parish, she said.  Those needing assistance must show proof of residency.

For more information, call the Council on Aging at 824-5504.