Annual food drive urges donations on area mail routes
Posted on Friday, May 9, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/64959/
The U. S. Postal Service and the National Association of Letter Carriers will collect nonperishable food donated by customers on all area mail routes this Saturday.
The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive has in its 16 years become the world’s largest single-day charitable food event, according to the U. S. Postal Service.
Last year, letter carriers collected 70. 7 million pounds of food for the needy from postal customers who leave their donations beside their mailboxes. Food collected is turned over to community food banks, pantries and shelters.
A statement from the U. S. Postal Service said the rising cost of living, especially regarding food prices, has created economically difficult times for 30 million Americans, including 12 million children, who are at risk of hunger. Each spring, many food banks begin to run out of donations received during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. The drive Saturday helps to restock those shelves.
On Saturday, customers are asked to place their nonperishable donated foods beside their mailboxes. A letter carrier will pick up the donations and deliver them to an area food bank.