Retail store chain Vanity has partnered with Grammy-nominated band OneRepublic to help promote awareness about hunger.

The “Share the Secret About Hunger” campaign began on Sept. 7 and will end on Oct. 16.

During that time, Vanity will be collecting non-perishable food donations at store locations.

For those that donate, Vanity will award them a 25 percent-off coupon to use in the store.

Deborah Bassett, manager of the Bowling Green Vanity store, said many customers have shown interest in the campaign.

“Our biggest struggle is just getting the word out,” she said. “People are excited, but they don’t have the goods with them at the time.”

Patrons can donate dry foods that aren’t in boxes or glass.

In the southern region of the United States, more than one in five children are considered food insecure, which is the most out of any other region, according to a study done by Feeding America from 2006 to 2008.

Feeding America is the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity, according to its website.

Tami Delaney, Development Director of Feeding America Kentucky’s Heartland in Elizabethtown said every dollar that the organization receives can be used to get about 10 pounds of food for struggling families in the region.

“In today’s struggling economy (we want others) to know that their donated dollars make a difference,” she said.

Delaney said that $3 will be donated to Feeding America for each OneRepublic CD that is sold.