Program Updates

Food donated through Letter Carriers drive really helps

It’s late spring and the weather is getting nice. Spirits are up. Flowers are blooming. Plenty of outdoor activities draw your attention. It’s easy to forget that your local food pantry still needs your help.

That’s the beauty of the Stamp Out Hunger food drive conducted by the National Association of Letter Carriers and the United States Postal Service. It’s a poignant reminder at just the right time. This year’s food drive took place on May 13.

Volunteers help off-load donated food from Postal Service trucks at the Charleston Post Office.

The need for food from our pantries has been pretty much at an all time high over the past winter months. The large-scale food resources that supply pantries are not really keeping up with the increased need we’ve seen.

The supply of food from large governmental food banks and national charitable organizations, while important, does not come close to meeting the true need of food pantries in our community. Local pantries depend on the generosity of the local community — of local folks who donate their dollars and canned goods all year around. Without the little people who bring over a few cans of tuna or few dollars they made at a bake sale, many local food pantries would close and many others would barely get by.

Letter Carriers give visibility to need for food

It takes a lot of people to pull this off successfully, but the National Association of Letter Carriers makes it happen.

The Letter Carriers annual food drive brings home this point maybe better than any other large event. It communicates the need and says every little bit helps. Every little bit is important. The Letter Carriers reach out to all sectors of the community — urban, suburban and rural areas — to everyone who gets mail. No other food drive has this kind of reach.

And from the efforts of Letter Carriers and their allies, thousands of pounds of food are donated, collected, and then distributed to local food pantries where it is put to use serving the needy in our community. This donated food is a godsend, just ask anyone associated with one of our local food pantries.

UFO thanks our local Letter Carriers

NALC Food Drive Coordinator R D. Henson (at right) with Shannon Nelson at Charleston Main Post Office. In his first year as coordinator, Henson led a very successful food drive.

United Food Operation want to sincerely thank members of Local 531 of the National Association of Letter Carriers for another great food drive.  Letter Carrier R.D. Henson did a great job in his first year  coordinating the program. Thanks also go out to all the other groups that cosponsored or otherwise helped out this wonderful effort.

Postal Service retiree Mack Harris, past president of NALC Local 531. receives a big thank you from United Food Operation Chairperson Elaine Harris for his work on the 2017 Stamp Out Hunger food drive.