(Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette) Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly is seeking non-perishable food items as part of its annual drive Saturday.

HANCOCK — In a tradition more than 20 years old, Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly is collecting food for its annual drive on Saturday.

Bags went out with copies of the Gazette on Tuesday.

The goal is to bring in about 10,000 pounds of food, said program director Carol Korpela. Last year, it brought in about 7,000 pounds.

Some of the most-wanted items are tuna fish, hot cereal, sloppy joe mix, Rice-a-Roni and jam.

“Really, we’re looking for any non-perishable food,” Korpela said. “We distribute 80 to 100 bags every month to elderly people in need.”

Lambda Chi Alpha assists in the collection as part of their national organization’s North American Food Drive. On Saturday, members will collect food left on porches and driveways inside the bags placed in the Gazette.

Non-perishable food items are accepted at Little Brothers year-round for its food pantry. The donations are a way to offset the food insecurity of community members 60 years or older, Korpela said. Contents of the bag are individualized, so each member only gets what they need and want, she said.

For seniors are not mobile enough to pick the bags up, Little Brothers will deliver to their homes, Korpela said.

“This is a way to offset their grocery bills, because they need to put their money towards their prescriptions, medical costs and housing. When they don’t have the dollar to stretch as much as they need, we assist them once a month with a bag of food,” she said.