Published: May 08, 2008 07:57 am      

Mail carriers to ‘Stamp Out Hunger’ with annual drive

Mail carriers across Madison County will be collecting more than mail Saturday as they try to “Stamp Out Hunger.”

Community members are asked to put bags of non-perishable food items in a bag next to their mailbox for carriers to pick up as part of the 16th annual National Association of Letter Carriers’ food drive.

The collected food will help restock community food banks, pantries and shelters that families will rely on throughout the summer.

“What I love about it is that it makes it so easy for people to give,” said Holly Troyer, food drive coordinator for Berea. “All they have to do is leave the food right there at their mailbox and we’ll come and take it. It’s a wonderful thing to be a part of and a wonderful thing for the community.”

The date for the food drive is scheduled for the second Saturday in May because food bank donations tend to wane after the winter holidays.

In 2007, the drive nationwide delivered 70.7 million pounds of non-perishable items donated by patrons to food organizations — the fourth consecutive year the total surpassed 70 million pounds.

Last year’s figure brought the overall total for the drive’s history to 836.2 million pounds.

In Richmond, about 40 carriers will pick up the food and take it to the Eastern Kentucky University Baptist Student Union, where it will be sorted and distributed to Home Meals Delivery, Salvation Army, Kentucky River Foothills and God’s Outreach Community Food Bank.

“It kind of gives back to the community and gets everyone involved,” said Randy Wiles, food drive coordinator for Richmond. “It helps people who can’t get food on their own.”

“It would be nice if people would donate because you never know. They could be the ones next year who are coming to these places and need that assistance,” he said.

About 20 carriers in Berea will collect the donations and weigh the food at the post office before officials from the Berea Community Food Bank and food pantries at several area churches come to pick it up Monday.

“We were real excited last year because I really wanted to break the 5,000-pound barrier,” Troyer said. “We had always had 4,000 or so pounds and were real close. We did it. Last year, we had about 5,100 pounds.

“We know with the economy done that this year we may not get as many donations,” she said. “I’d love to have another year where we surpass 5,000 pounds, but I don’t know this year. We’re going to give it our best shot.”

Bryan Marshall can be reached at bmarshall@richmondregister.com or 624-6691.