HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Sisters of the Southeastern Region of Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Sorority Incorporated for their annual conference and to announce a new initiative to combat childhood hunger.

Members of AKA from Tennesse, Alabama and Mississippi kicked off their first conference in Huntsville since 2014 Thursday and announced a new program called Childhood Hunger Initiative Power Pack (CHIPP).

CHIPP is meant to help local children by providing meals on holidays and weekends. The members of the sorority started up the initiative by packing some of the meals themselves on Thursday.

Southeastern Regional Director Tracey Morant Adams said the bags are to help students who may be experiencing food insecurity.

“We are packaging what we call our chip bags which will have non-nonperishable food items for our children so that they can take them home,” she said. “Many of our children, unfortunately, when they leave school on Friday afternoon they do not have quality food.”

The conference will run until Saturday.