Postal carriers to collect food Saturday

0
819

With the help of sponsors, volunteer organizations and Postal workers everywhere, the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) will conduct its 24th annual nationwide Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on Saturday, May 14th. Stamp Out Hunger is the nation’s largest single-day food drive.

Last year’s drive collected approximately 71 million pounds of non-perishable food that was left in bags next to postal customers’ mailboxes. It was the 12th consecutive year that letter carriers have collected more than 70 million pounds of food, and it brought the drive’s grand total to more than 1.4 billion pounds of food collected. In South Carolina last year, collections of more than 490,289 pounds of donations were reported by Harvest Hope and Lowcountry Food Banks.

Making a donation is easy. Customers should leave their non-perishable food donations in a bag near their mailbox on Saturday, May 14th, before their letter carrier arrives. In the days leading up to the Food Drive, letter carriers will be delivering notification post cards and special bags along with your mail that may be used to make donations. Food collected during Saturday’s drive will be delivered to local community churches, food banks and food pantries for distribution.

While all non-perishable donations are welcome, foods that are high in protein such as canned tuna, salmon, beans and peanut butter are most needed. Canned fruits and vegetables, whole grain, low sugar cereals, macaroni and cheese dinners and 100% fruit juice also top the list of most needed items.

Recommended items include:

· Most-wanted foods include:

· Canned meats (tuna, chicken, salmon).

· Canned and boxed meals (soup, chili, stew, macaroni and cheese).

· Canned or dried beans and peas (black, pinto, lentils).

· Pasta, rice cereal.

· Canned fruits.

· 100 percent fruit juice (canned, plastic or boxed).

· Canned vegetables.

· Cooking oil.

· Boxed cooking mixes (pancake, breads).

WHAT NOT TO GIVE:

· Rusty or unlabeled cans.

· Glass containers.

· Perishable items.

· Homemade items.

· No expired items

· Noncommercial canned or packaged items.

· Alcoholic beverages or mixes or soda.

· Open or used items.