The Coos County Friends of Public Health is looking for donations for the Coins for Kids Campaign, specifically loose change.

The coins collected will benefit the county health department’s WIC program for nutritional foods such as cheese, milk, eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables and infant formula. These foods are not normally available at food banks. Public Health no longer is able to provide its share of the funds for the program that provided help to more than 3,000 participants last year. That accounted for 55 percent of the women who gave birth in Coos County, a press release said.

The money raised also will help fund immunizations for children in Coos County. In 2007, 75 percent of the 2-year-olds served at  Public Health were up-to-date on their shots. Children need 22 vaccines by age 2, the press release said.

The Friends have bags available for those who wish to collect change. These can be distributed to friends or placed at a business. Donations can be dropped of at any local Umpqua Bank branch.

For more information, call Dale Schlack at 347-3899 or Molly Ford at 888-6871.