Letter carriers' food drive Saturday

McCook, Neb. -- Postal Service carriers will hold their annual food drive on Saturday, May 9. McCook area residents are encouraged to participate by placing non-perishable food items in bags, and leaving them by their mailbox before mail delivery on May 9. All the food collected will go to local community food banks and pantries.

This is the 23rd year for the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, which has collected well over one billion pounds of food since its inception. Last year Americans donated over 72 million pounds of food, 276,000 in Nebraska, feeding an estimated 30 million people.

Examples of non-perishable items include: peanut butter, canned soup, canned meats, canned vegetables, fruits and juices, boxed goods (such as cereal), pasta and rice. Do not donate items that have expired or are in glass containers.

The McCook Post Office will also have a food drive bin set up in its lobby on Saturday, May 9, and every day of the week before, so customers can drop off their non-perishable food items.

"This is a great opportunity to help those in our community who are struggling to put food on the table," said McCook Postmaster Kelly Lacey.

Currently, 49 million Americans--1 in 6--are unsure where their next meal is coming from. Sixteen million are children who feel hunger's impact on their overall health and ability to perform in school. And nearly 5 million seniors over age 60 are food insecure, with many who live on fixed incomes often too embarrassed to ask for help.

The food drive's timing is crucial. Food banks and pantries often receive the majority of their donations during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons. By springtime, many pantries are depleted, entering the summer low on supplies at a time when many school breakfast and lunch programs are not available to children in need.

The food drive, an effort by the USPS, members of the National Association of Letter Carriers, Rural Letter Carriers and other volunteers is the largest one-day food drive in the nation.

Learn more about the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive and Feeding America today!

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.