GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) – Today, bringing your lunch to work can do more than clean out your fridge.

Mesa County residents are encouraged to “brown bag it” to school or work on Sept. 27. In turn, Brown Bag Day organizers ask that you donate the money you would have spent on today’s lunch to the Putting Kids 1st initiative.

MBC Grand Broadcasting stations and Splish Splash Car Wash will be giving the donations to Kids Aid, which gives backpacks of food to local students who would otherwise go hungry over the weekend. The money will also benefit The House, a shelter for homeless teens.

If you’ve already left the house without a brown bag for lunch, you can still help out. Local restaurants are offering a brown bag special today, and the funds will be donated to Putting Kids 1st.

Those restaurants include Qdoba, Papa Kelsey’s, Kannah Creek Brewing Company, Papa John’s Pizza, Applebees and Wraps on Main.

All September long, businesses have challenged their employees to “brown bag it” on other days. The businesses are competing with each other to see which can raise the most funds.

All the restaurants and business challenge participants will be giving their checks to Putting Kids 1st during a radio-thon at the Rimrock Wal-Mart. That radio-thon will be on Saturday, Sept. 29 from 2 to 4 p.m.