Instead of a traditional food drive collecting canned food, students collect spare change. Organizers said it benefits both those in need and local farmers.

"I think it's great for me personally and for the community to the extent that the food pantry has got fresh local food. I think that that's a plus," Phil Stewart of Phil's Garden said.

Right now, when someone walks into the Food Bank their choices are limited to some fruit in a can or rice in a box, but with local farmers helping out with this particular food drive, tomatoes and other fresh fruit are now available.

Stewart is glad his hard work gets to help out local people in his own community.

"It's been a good experience, it's contact with local people, I meet some new people, I learn more about what's going on in Columbia and that's got to be good," Stewart said.

Members of Sustain Mizzou think it's a good thing too. Group members will be collecting donations all week long outside Brady Commons and Memorial Union on the MU campus.

Other groups partnering in the project: College Republicans, Agricultural Systems Management Club, Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS), MSA/GPC, Students United, Circle K International, Food Circles Networking Project and the MU Environmental Studies Department.