‘Cans Across Des Plaines’ collects 7,000 items

For the fifth consecutive year, Maine West High School students and staff assembled a half-mile long human chain Friday to help stock a Des Plaines food pantry at the Des Plaines Self-Help Closet at Algonquin and Wolf roads.

“The students collected 7,000 cans of food and toilet paper over the past week, and there are over 600 students and staff today participating in our Cans Across Des Plaines event,” said student council sponsor Samantha Archer.

Students and staff conducted a contest to see which class can bring in the most items during a school-wide food drive.