Stamp Out Hunger food drive Saturday
This week in addition to bills, circulars and maybe a tax-rebate check, postal customers will get a little something extra with their mail – blue plastic bags.
Saturday marks the 16th annual National Association of Letter Carriers Food Drive. Stamp Out Hunger has become known as the nation’s largest one-day effort to collect food.
“Since the program began, the United States Postal Service has collected more than three-quarters of a million pounds of nonperishable food items, nationwide,” said Lisa Nystuen, customer relations coordinator for the USPS in Spokane.
Food will be collected by letter carriers throughout the city. Postal customers are asked to fill the bags provided with nonperishable food items and leave the bags where their mail is delivered. Canned meats, as well as canned fruits and vegetables and peanut butter are always in demand at area food banks.
Rural post offices like those in Elk and Newport are also participating. Elk Postmaster, Linda Cassella, said volunteers from the North County Food Pantry will follow the carriers on their routes and pick up the food items.
In the Spokane Valley Post Office, branch manager Dave Hoover has decided to try something different this year. In addition to carrier pick-up, Hoover is inviting postal customers to drop food off at the Spokane Valley location from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Those who donate at the Spokane Valley branch will be given a small token of appreciation and be offered the chance to learn about the Post Office Web services. Hoover said, “A person from marketing will be on hand to show customers how to use our Web site.”
He also encouraged folks to make use of the last opportunity to purchase Forever stamps before the postage rate increase on May 12.
Food collected in Spokane and Spokane Valley will go to Second Harvest Inland Northwest. “It is huge,” said Rod Wieber, Director of Donor and Community Relations. “It’s the single largest one-day food drive for us of the year. Last year we received over 160,000 pounds.”
The Stamp Out Hunger drive comes at a time when many families are feeling the impact of rising food and fuel prices. Wieber said area food banks are starting to feel the pinch as well. “Family budgets are taxed more,” he said. “And hunger isn’t always on the top of people’s minds this time of year.”
Wieber encouraged Postal Service customers to take advantage of this convenient way to support local food banks. “It really helps neighbors in our community.”