The United Way of Southern Kentucky’s Feed the Need food drive, which began in March, ends Saturday. 

This region-wide food drive took place in Allen, Barren, Butler, Hart, Logan, Simpson and Warren counties. 

On Friday, volunteers will be sorting, counting and collecting donations at participating grocery stores from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. People can make donations at Houchens Market, Kroger locations, Wal-Mart, Dollar General Market, Piggly Wiggly, Food Lion, Save-a-Lot, Priceless IGA, and Crossroads IGA stores in each county in the region. Over 200 volunteers have donated their time so far, said Mandy Hicks, United Way of Southern Kentucky’s senior director of marketing and communications.

These donations will be dispersed among food banks in the counties they were donated. 

Since the food drive’s start in 2009, United Way has collected over 360,000 items for food banks throughout Southern Kentucky. The drive was created after an increase for basic needs was seen throughout the communities. 

Last year, the drive collected over 63,500 nonperishable food items, 54,700 of those items were donated in Warren County alone. Across the counties, over 70 organizations are also hosting an internal food drive of their own. BB&T Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University student activities, Citizens First Bank and Bowling Green High School are a few of the many groups conducting those drives, Hicks said. 

People interested in volunteering on Friday or Saturday can sign up online at liveunitedtoday.com.