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A chill is in the air.

That coolness is not just heralding the arrival of fall and the upcoming holiday season. It is also the signal that Empty Pantry Fund donations are now being accepted.

Empty Pantry Fund is a tradition observed annually by nearly 1,500 volunteers, of all ages and many different backgrounds, who put their money and their time into a project that provides a happier Christmas for people who otherwise would have little. Sixty-three food items are delivered shortly before Christmas Day to 1,424 families who sign up during a clearinghouse in mid-October. The food “baskets,” which are actually large, sturdy bags, contain enough food to provide a holiday feast plus enough left over to feed a family of four for over a week. Everything except potatoes, apples and oranges can be stored for later use.

This year, EPF Chairman Paul Bales, major accounts executive at The Daily Times, has been coordinating and planning the particulars while he recovers from an illness.

“This project is more important than me because I know what it does,” Bales said prior to having surgery on Oct 29. “I’ve been out of work for five weeks, but I’ve been doing a bunch of stuff by phone, sitting here at home.”

Empty Pantry Fund volunteers will pack food baskets beginning at 7 p.m. Dec. 17. The foods, plus toys provided through Junior Service League’s Toys for Blount County, will be delivered beginning at 7 a.m. Dec. 20.