Independence Mall holding back-to-school food drive Saturday to prevent weekend hunger

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Independence Mall in Wilmington is partnering with the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina to hold a food drive on Saturday.

The Back to School Weekend Power Pack event is scheduled for 12:00 pm through 5:00 pm at 3500 Oleander Drive.

Organizers say donations are needed to fill backpacks for students to take home on the weekends to avoid hunger.

You can drop your donations off curbside at the main entrance of the mall or the red schoolhouse in Center Court.

Backpacks are assembled by volunteers and delivered to a school partner each week.

Volunteers say the packs are normally distributed on Thursday or Friday, with kids returning them on Wednesday of the following week.

Most-needed items include individual pastas, vienna sausages, dried fruit, soup, beef jerky, etc.