Chicago area student athletes rally to donate food, check to Bloom Township Food Pantry

CHICAGO HEIGHTS, Ill. (WLS) -- Thousands of Chicago-area high school athletes came together Wednesday for School Lunch Hero Day.

They want to bring attention to workers inside school cafeterias and local food pantries who are helping to feed the hungry during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Student athletes from Romeoville, Manteno, Thornwood, Homewood-Flossmoor and Bloom collected healthy snack items that would normally be sold at their games during the spring season to fundraise for their teams and schools.

The students donated over 130,000 food items and a check for $500 to Bloom Township Food Pantry as part of the Making A Difference On And Off The Field campaign by Buddy's Helpers and Pepsi-Co.