(Seguin) – Letter carriers this Saturday will be making their rounds throughout the community but this time, they are hoping to deliver more than just the mail.
The 34th Annual Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger® Food Drive returns this Saturday — May 9th — giving Seguin residents an easy way to help feed hungry families.
Organized by the National Association of Letter Carriers, the annual one-day food drive has become the nation’s largest single-day food collection effort. Since its launch 34 years ago, the campaign has collected more than 2 billion pounds of food nationwide for families facing food insecurity.
Jesse Garcia, a letter carrier with the Seguin Post Office says the message is simple: if you have a little extra, leave it out near your mailbox for pickup.
Garcia says residents can help by setting out non-perishable food items they already have at home or by purchasing a few extra items at the store.
“If they could put any non-perishable food items that either they bought or maybe they just have, lying around, if they can put that in their mailbox or buy the mailbox for their letter carrier to pick up, all that food will be collected at the end of the day, be brought back to the post office and distributed amongst the Christian Cupboard here again,” said Garcia.
Residents may have also received a blue donation bag in their mailbox ahead of the drive – something that Garcia says makes donating even easier.
“Put it by the mailbox and if you receive the blue bag, you can use that blue bag to put whatever you have in there, whatever it is. For us, it might not be anything, but for somebody who’s in need, that can of soup or whatever will make a big difference,” said Garcia.
Nationally, more than 44 million Americans face food insecurity, including more than 14 million children and nearly 5.5 million seniors. Organizers say, “the spring food drive is especially important because food pantry shelves are often running low after the holiday season, while summer months can bring even greater strain for families with children home from school.”
Garcia says the rising cost of everyday necessities is again just one more reason why folks should come together and do their part.
“You can tell the gas prices and cost of everything pretty much is rising around us. All this stuff stays local. It doesn’t go anywhere else. So, you’re really just helping out your community. We’re trying to spread the word so that, you know, more people get involved,” said Garcia.
And for anyone who misses the official collection day, Garcia says donations will still be welcomed.
“We’ll still take it, if it’s a day or two late or a day or two early, we will take it. And it will still get given to the food bank,” said Garcia.
Residents are reminded that non-perishable food donations should be placed in a bag or box inside or near their mailbox.