Curves of Parkville, a women's gym, is taking up a collection for Victor's Vittles, a food pantry based out of Christus Victor Lutheran Church in Carney during the month of March.

Curves owner and manager Mariela Mendoza said that the gym is asking members to help support Victor's Vittles but that anyone could make a donation.

If you're not already a member Curves of Parkville will waive the joining fee for new members who bring in a bag of non-perishable food or donate $30 to Victor’s Vittles Food Pantry from March 12 - 25, according to a statement emailed to Patch by Mendoza.

"Curves of Parkville is committed to supporting the health and well-being of our members, so the food drive is a natural extension of that commitment to the whole community," Mendoza said in the emailed statement. "Many families are struggling with basic expenses and need some help to make ends meet. Our food drive gives our members a way to reach out and support their neighbors."

This is Curves fourth year participating in the company-wide food drive initiative while working with Victor's Vittles. Last April the 175-member gym managed strove to collect 750 pounds of food, in order to beat their 2010 food drive collection of 670 pounds.

The gym could also win cash for Victor's Vittles since parent company Curves International is backing the drive. 

According to a statement from Curves, cash prizes will be awarded to the clubs "that collect the most food, ... that show the greatest increase in donations over the 2011 food drive," and two clubs randomly selected from all those that enter the contest.

Patch has written about Victor's Vittles before—the pantry serves 40-50 needy families who live in the Parkville-Carney area each week.

At the time, food pantry Director Charlie Leight told Patch that Victor's Vittles had a total of about 800 families in their system, who they may see from week to week.