SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Shoppers have so far donated more than 5,000 pounds of food and $2,300 to help feed hungry Ozarkers through the Check Out Hunger program at area grocery stores.

The program, boosted by OzarksFirst’s “Putting the Ozarks First” effort on Nov. 16, asks shoppers at area Price Cutter markets to round up their purchases to assist the Ozarks Food Harvest and Crosslines in their efforts to assist needy people during the holidays and through the winter.

As of Saturday, Nov. 19, shoppers had purchased and donated to Crosslines 5,432 pounds of prepacked bags of groceries at the stores and had donated to Ozarks Food Harvest $2,313 at checkout registers, according to Price Cutter.

The campaigns are continuing through Christmas Eve at Price Cutter and other supermarkets in the Ozarks.

OzarksFirst will have updated donation numbers after Friday and will report those as they become available.