Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive this Saturday
MARSHALL COUNTY - On Saturday, May 11 local post offices will be taking part in the Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. This food drive began in 1993 and over the years has become the nation’s largest one-day food drive. This drive helps to fill the shelves of food banks across america.
Every year mail carriers across the United States go on their route on the second Saturday in May to collect donations of non-perishable food items.
Post offices that are involved in this drive in Marshall County are the argos, Bourbon, Bremen, Culver and Plymouth post offices.
Zachary Delaruelle, the Plymouth Post Office Postmaster, spoke about the drive.
“The Plymouth Post Office participates in the annual NALC Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. We are seeking volunteers from the community to assist with sorting the food that is brought in, picking up food while walking with the letter carrier or unloading the back of the carrier’s vehicles when they return to the post office,” Delaruelle said.
Delaruelle shared that all the food gathered in Plymouth will stay in Plymouth. He said that this helps the local community.
“The generosity of the people in Plymouth assists their neighbors directly. The timing of this event lines up with the end of the school year and helps school-aged children obtain daily meals when they are not in school,” Delaruelle said.
Donations made in Plymouth will be donated to the Marshall County Neighborhood Center and Bread for Life Food Pantry which are both located in Plymouth.
Delaruelle spoke about how those interested in donating can prepare the donations for the postman.
“Simply leave donations of non-perishable food in a bag or bags near your mailbox on Saturday, May 11 and your letter carrier will do the rest. Participation is completely voluntary. There are also donation bins at Martins and Kroger for customer’s convenience. Please do not include items in glass containers,” Delaruelle said.
When talking about why people should consider donating, Delaruelle spoke about how this drive has grown into the nation’s largest one-day food drive which allows it to help fill shelves of food banks around the United States.
Kurt Kemble, the Postmaster of the Culver Post Office, spoke about his office’s involvement in the food drive. He shared that Culver’s post office is involved in this event every year too.
“It’s a wonderful thing.
All the food we get goes to a food bank in Culver,” Kemble said.
Kemble thinks that the Culver Post Office raised about 500 to 600 pounds of food last year.
He also talked about how people should prepare their donations for the mail carrier. He said that most people put the food in a plastic bag.
“For rural carriers if people do stuff just leave it hanging from their mail box so they can grab it. Some people put it on the ground next to it, so they have to get out and sometimes it's not safe for them to get out of their car. City carriers, you can leave it on your porch or by your mail box and they’ll pick it up as we go around,” Kemble said.
He said that people should consider donating because it helps out the local community. He said that there is even a need for food in Culver.