WINSTON-SALEM – Lowes Foods is holding its annual Friends Feeding Friends food drive through Dec. 31.

Donations collected in its stores in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia will be delivered to local food banks. This year’s goal is more 600,000 pounds of food, which equals about 504,000 meals.

Donation bins are at the front of each store. Customers can purchase preassembled bags of non-perishable items and also can donate cash at the register in $1, $3 and $5 amounts.

“Part of our responsibility as a family-owned Carolinas-based company is to help our less fortunate friends and neighbors,” Lowes’ president, Steve Hall, is quoted as saying in a release. “We are proud to be in our 17th year, and we hope to fill all the empty pantries we can.”

Founded in 1954, Lowes Foods employs 9,000 people and operates 107 stores, including one each in Nashville, Enfield and Spring Hope. For information, go to lowesfoods.com.