Letter carrier Jim Falvey collects food from postal customers on a previous Letter Carriers Food Drive. The annual event returns on Saturday, May 12.
Letter carries to pick up donations
The community is invited to help stamp out hunger by simply placing a bag of nonperishable food donations by your mailbox on the morning of Saturday, May 12, for the National Association of Letter Carriers Food Drive.
The effort is the largest single-day food drive in the world. In Oregon, more than 4,000 letter carriers in urban and rural areas will join the national effort to pick up food from postal customers.
“On behalf of the Postal Service, I am honored to partner with the National Association of Letter Carriers and all our employees who will participate in this year’s annual food drive,” said Shawneen Betha, Portland Postmaster. “The need has never been greater. As part of the community, our letter carriers see the need and know the impact the economy has had on so many families.
Look for a yellow, plastic, degradable food drive bag in your mail. Fill the bag (or any sturdy bag) with nutritious, nonperishable food. The Oregon Food Bank Network will recycle your bag.
All donated food stays in the community where it was collected.
Look for foods high in nutrition and low in sugar and fat, such as peanut butter 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, and boxed baking mixes.
If you miss your letter carrier’s daily visit, drop off your food donations at any post office by Wednesday, May 16.
Distribution of emergency food remains at record high levels. In average month, an estimated 260,000 people eat meals from an emergency food box in Oregon and Clark County, Wash. That’s equivalent to 14 sold-out Rose Garden Arenas in one month.
