The St. Charles East High School Football program is starting its season a little differently than one might expect — with a food drive to benefit the Salvation Army Tri-City Corps.

What’s also a little different is the level of involvement of the community and a local grocery store. All donations will assist those in need in the communities of St. Charles, Campton Hills, Geneva, Batavia and Wayne.

The food drive drop-off starts on Monday, Aug. 15, and runs through Friday, Aug. 19, but the big event is the high school team’s door-to-door collection that starts Thursday with a final pick-up on Friday.

The Blue Goose Market has donated hundreds of grocery bags for the football team to distribute throughout the St. Charles community.

On Thursday, Aug. 18 , the Saints team will be stopping by neighborhoods in St. Charles to leave the Blue Goose Market grocery bags along with a flyer requesting food items needed by the Salvation Army. On Friday, Aug. 19, the Saints will return to the same neighborhoods to collect any filled grocery bags and bring them to the Salvation Army.

In 2012, more than 2,000 pounds of donated food was collected by the Saints football team.

The Tri-City Chargers Youth Football Program is assisting the Saints in the food drive. The Chargers have asked all of their families to donate at least one filled grocery bag to the drive. Many of the St. Charles Saints football players started their football careers playing for the Chargers.

Anyone in the community wishing to donate food can bring a filled grocery bag with the donated food to St. Charles East High School, Door One (main entrance off of Dunham Road) between the hours of 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. starting Monday through Thursday, or drop them off in the parking lot by Norris Stadium between the hours of 10 a.m. and noon Friday.

The Salvation Army is requesting: baking goods, beverages, boxed dinners, canned fruit, canned meat (beef stew, chili, tuna, salmon, sloppy joes, spam), canned pasta (ravioli, spaghetti, O’s), canned vegtables (carrots, corn, green beans, diced tomatoes), cereal (hot or cold), condiments, conditioner, dry potatoes (box of crackers or stuffing), jelly, macaroni and cheese, mouthwash, pancake mix, pasta (dry), pasta sauce, peanut butter, ramen noddles/dry soup mix, shampoo, soap (bars), snacks, soups, syrup, toiletries, and/or toothpaste.

SOURCE: St. Charles East Food Drive news release