The pantry is full.

Cereal and cereal bar donations poured in last week at Dino's Appliance and Mattress Centre for the second annual Fill the Pantry drive to support the breakfast program at the Portage la Prairie School Division.

PLPSD community outreach facilitator Cori Asham says the community response to the event was great, and the division breakfast program now has enough cereal to last until the end of the year.

"All the donations, and everything that came in yesterday (Thursday), it's going to a really long way," Asham says. "It will be divvied up between all the schools throughout Portage, and it will last all year."

Mike Panko, left, Cori Asham, middle and Dean Dubois, right, on Fill the Pantry Day last Thursday.

Asham says the division makes breakfast cost estimates each year in grant applications, and now that cereal is fully accounted for this year, the funds allocated to that expense can be used for other breakfast items.

"That's more money we can put towards fruit, milk and different options for kids," Asham explains. "When you have all these extra donations coming in, that really helps us significantly."

Dean Dubois from Dino's says community generosity really shined to support a great cause.

"It's unbelievable the generosity that's in our community," Dubois says. "Everything that we've done with Fill the Pantry was for a great cause, helping the breakfast program at the school division."

Panko's Food Centre supported the event, and manager Mike Panko says he wanted to back it because his business relies on the community and the opportunity to give back is valuable.

"When we have a chance to give back to a program that especially focuses on children," Panko says. "Their learning is near and dear to our hearts, and we're just trying to support the community we're a part of."