More than 3,700 canned goods were donated to the Fairview Heights Food Pantry Saturday morning thanks to the kicking of an O'Fallon Township High School student.

Austin Barnes, a senior kicker/punter on the Panthers football team, organized Kickin' for Cans, a campaign to encourage metro-east businesses, school groups and others to donate cans for every successful kick he made during the regular season.

Barnes' right foot landed 32 successful kicks and netted a donation of 3,756 cans and a $250 check.

"Growing up, I didn't really have much and I didn't know what it was like to have a lot," said Austin, 17, who wore a gold O'Fallon football jersey as he helped unload a trailer filled with canned goods.

Every time Barnes scored during a regular season O'Fallon football game, he donated 10 cans to the pantry. He spoke to members of his church, Christ United Methodist Church in Fairview Heights, and encouraged others to donate canned goods. Even the Mascoutah Little Indians football program donated 92 cans.

"This is a fabulous idea," said JoAnn Nadler, who volunteers and serves on the board at the food pantry. "We're very pleased."

Midwest Auto Pro in Belleville donated 200 cans to the drive.

"I thought it was great," said Sharon Favre, co-owner of the business. She described Austin as a "go-getter."

More than two dozen individuals, businesses and groups jumped on the can bandwagon. In addition to the food, Consign and Design in O'Fallon donated $250 to the food pantry.

It took Austin and several other volunteers about 15 minutes to unload the canned goods from a trailer Saturday morning.

A member of the Big Boss Blues Band donated the band's trailer to help transport the donations to the food pantry.

Austin said he plans to play college football next year, though he's not sure where.

He was offered a full scholarship to Southeast Missouri State, but he said he hopes for offers from the University of Notre Dame and the University of Alabama.

Kickin' for Cans inspired a high school basketball player in Indiana, Dalton Taylor at Oregon Davis High School, to do something similar.

"It reached even another state," said Angela Barnes, Austin's mother. "I'm extremely proud of him -- on and off the field."

The food pantry prepares monthly bags for needy families that contain about 50 canned goods and nonperishable food items.

The Kickin' for Cans donation should help provide food for about 75 families.

But that's a drop in the bucket for the food pantry, which gave out 134 bags in October. That food helped feed 427 people last month in the metro-east, Nadler said.

The Fairview Heights Food Pantry is always in need of donations, especially canned meat, tuna, cake mixes and canned fruit. If you would like to donate, call the food pantry at 398-0292.

Contact reporter Maria Baran at mbaran@bnd.com or 618-239-2460.

Contact reporter Maria Baran at mbaran@bnd.com or 618-239-2460.