Cheerios cereal admirers can now eat their favorite cereal and help kids at the same time.

The NIU Child Development Lab (CDL) is asking for help from the community and students to save Cheerios box tops.

Through a program sponsored by General Mills and Scholastic Books, the CDL is able to earn 50 free books.

CDL Director Susan Speroff said for every 100 box tops and $45 they send to Scholastic Books, the Lab receives 50 books.

Speroff said last year they only asked the parents to help them collect box tops, and it took them until the very last day to get 100.

“This year we’re starting out earlier and asking more people to help, so we’re hoping for good results,” Speroff said.

People who want to help can take their original Cheerios box tops to room 161 or 163 Gable Hall or mail them to 209 Wirtz Hall.

Speroff said they will be collecting box tops until the last day of school.

“It’s a great program,” said Patti Brown, head teacher for the Pre-school and Toddler 2 programs. “We got mostly Curious George books.”

Speroff said 30 box tops already have been collected.

“I think it’d be great if we could get 200,” she said.

“Most of these books have been around since the program started,” Brown said. “The kids love the new books, and even I was excited.”

“These books are so old, we have copies of the ones that are now on the banned list,” Speroff said.