NEENAH, WI — Final figures show that readers and partners of The Post-Crescent donated nearly $73,000 to the newspaper's "Stock the Shelves" Do It! Community Campaign in support of 18 area food pantries.

"We are blessed to live and work in the Fox Valley," said Dan Flannery, The P-C's executive editor. "People here don't back away from need. They embrace the challenge."

Individual donations —from readers, businesses, organizations, family foundations within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region and corporate matching gifts — totaled $37,389, easily more than last year's then-record $28,300 collection.

The Greenville Lions Club will donate $1 for each of the 436 individual donations.

The campaign was greatly assisted by the J.J. Keller Foundation, which will match $35,000 in total donations.

"What a wonderful thing," said Mary Harp-Jirschele, executive director of the J.J. Keller Foundation. "As we planned this project, we wondered whether we would hit the original $50,000 goal. When that happened, and we increased the challenge to $70,000, we again wondered if we'd ever get there. No more wondering."

The donations will be spread equally among the 18 pantries, giving each more than $4,000 to feed needy residents in a time of economic uncertainty.

"The community was challenged to come together to help each other, and it happened," Harp-Jirschele said. "The people and businesses of the Fox Cities are simply amazing, and this will make for a wonderful Christmas present for the local food pantries."

"Stock the Shelves" is one of three annual Do It! campaigns by The Post-Crescent. The others are "Backpacks for Kids," held each July and August, and "Sack It To Goodwill," usually done each March.