MANSFIELD — As the holidays loom, food pantries can find their shelves bare.

Local law enforcement is hoping to combat that with the county-wide Cram The Cruiser Event on Monday, Dec. 23.

Five police departments — The Richland County Sheriff’s Office, Mansfield Police, Ohio State Highway Patrol-Mansfield, Shelby Police Department and Ontario Police Department — will be set up from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside of grocery stores collecting non-perishable food items.

“Food pantries often find them selves being over-run around the holidays,” said Keri Smith, secretary of the OSHP  in Mansfield. “We want to be able to collect non-perishables and turn around and donate them to the local food pantries.”

Drop-off locations will be The Save-A-Lot on U.S. 42, the Kroger on Lexington Avenue, the Walmart on Possum Run Road, Cornell’s IGA in Shelby, and the Walmart on Lexington-Springmill Road.

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Community investment made this reporting happen. Independent, local news in Shelby and Northern Richland County is brought to you in part by the generous support of Phillips Tube Group, R.S. Hanline, ArcelorMittal, Lloyd Rebar, Hess Industries, and Shelby Printing.