Group organizing Friday food drive

It's nearly fall, and the cupboard is almost bare at Volunteers of America, Utah, an organization that has helped about 2,000 homeless youth and adults the past year find enough to eat.

In an effort to restock the shelves, VOA is holding a "drive-by food drive" Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Homeless Youth Resource Center, 655 S. State in Salt Lake.

The drive is part of the National Day of Service for the needy, said Michelle Templin-Polasek, director of community engagement for VOA.

People can drop off non-perishable canned goods or make a financial contribution. Suggested food items include boxed and canned foods like ravioli, spaghetti, tuna, beans, stew, Spam, vegetables and fruits, Templin-Polasek said.

Neither clothing nor household items are needed at this time.

VOA provides one-on-one support to those in the community who are most in need of help. It is a national, nonprofit, spiritually-based organization providing local human-services programs and opportunities for individual and community involvement.

VOA helps 10,000 people yearly with outreach, substance-abuse detoxification and treatment, housing case management, substance-abuse prevention and domestic-violence counseling.