Thursday marks the official start of the collection period for Project Salina.

Project Salina is an annual drive to collect food for the hungry. It unites multiple businesses, churches, and other organizations in an effort to collect food for six agencies that serve meals, or distribute food, throughout the year.

The agencies include:

• Ashby House
• Salina Rescue Mission
• Emergency Aid Food Bank
• Salina Salvation Army
• Domestic Violence Association of Central Kansas
• Salina Grace

Project Salina provides about 40% of the annual food needs to over 5,500 people struggling with hunger. The agency reports that over 30 percent of those are children.

Project Salina began in 1990 as an effort to help agencies that provide food when their need is the greatest, in the summer months. The agencies typically see a lot of donations during the holidays, but by the summer months their shelves are getting bare.

Meridian Media radio stations this year will be collecting hot and cold cereal.