Marion Star Staff Report • May 7, 2009 MARION – Postal workers will be collecting more than the mail on Saturday as they participate
in the National Association of Letter Carriers 17th annual “Stamp Oxut Hunger Food Drive.” Letter carriers will focus their efforts on restocking the community food banks, pantries and shelters that millions of American families will rely on throughout the summer, states a press release from United Way of Marion County. During the past few months, more and more people from communities across the nation are turning to food banks for assistance. Food banks experienced an unprecedented strain as requests have risen 20-25 percent for each of the past six months while donations continued to decrease. That is why United Way hopes that on Saturday, residents will look through their cupboards to see if they have canned goods or boxed foods they can spare. Local representatives of the NALC will be collecting non-perishable food items from residential customers on their postal routes. Those making donations need only to place the items next to their mailboxes before their letter carrier delivers the mail. The carrier will do the rest. Contributions will be returned to the post office, where they will be sorted, weighed and re-distributed to area food pantries and other non-profit agencies that can use them. Items also can be dropped off at the Post Office on Barks Road between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. that day. Last year, local letter carriers collected more than 40,000 pounds of food in Marion County alone. Individuals can help them do even more this year by putting some canned soup, juice, pasta, cereal, rice or other non-perishable items in Saturday’s mail.
The United Way of Marion County is proud to once again provide coordination and promotion in the “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive in the Marion community, the press release stated.