StepUp! and Coastal Carolina University are launching a canned food drive beginning Oct. 1 to benefit 12 local nonprofit agencies.

"Families Can" is a Family Volunteer project that involves the collection of nonperishable food items and canned goods to help support Horry County nonprofit food pantries. The drive coincides with Coastal's Family Weekend, and canned goods may be placed in collection boxes at the front gate of Brooks Stadium beginning at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7 prior to the Coastal vs. Furman football game.

Nonperishable canned goods maybe dropped off during the week of Oct. 1 to 6 at five locations:

-- Coastal Carolina University Student Center

-- First Presbyterian Church, 1300 N. Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach, drop off at business entrance on Chester Street

-- Avista Resort, 300 N. Ocean Blvd., North Myrtle Beach, drop off at lobby

-- Grande Shores Ocean Resort, 201 77th Ave. N., Myrtle Beach, drop off at lobby

-- Myrtle Beach Marriott Resort at Grande Dunes, 8400 Costa Verde Dr., drop off at lobby

Agencies benefiting include: Horry County Shelter Home, Community Kitchen, Street Reach, Churches Assisting People (CAP), Help 4 Kids, CARETEAM, Helping Hands of Myrtle Beach, North Strand Helping Hand, South Strand Helping Hand, Waccamaw Youth Center, Myrtle Beach Haven, Salvation Army and Coastal Rescue Mission.

Coastal's Volunteer Services Center is also sponsoring the event, and 65 instructors of First-Year Experience classes are involving their classes in the drive as a class community project.

StepUp! is an organization designed to recruit and mobilize volunteers and help them develop ongoing relationships with community nonprofit groups. It is funded through a Knight Foundation grant.

For more information, call StepUp! at 349-6488 or visit the Web site:www.stepup-grandstrand.org.