Saturday is Grocery Day

When the mail carrier arrives at your mail box, he or she leaves a bill (yuck!), a letter from a friend, advertisements (yuck again!), or a check (yay!).  This week, you probably noticed that your friendly letter carrier left a brown paper sack with the inscription FILL A BAG WITH FOOD.  BRING HOPE TO SOMEONE IN NEED.  

So this Saturday, May 12, 2012, we are asked to help the National Association of Letter Carriers will be celebrate its 20th year of Stamp Out Hunger!  Not that we should celebrate hunger.  This effort by NALC is worthy of recognition, and we can help by filling the bag with non-perishable food items and leave it by your mail box. Peanut butter, tuna, canned vegetables, and other items are always welcome.   (Here's a thought: Maybe you can purchase these items on Thursday or Friday). 

“For two decades now, our annual national drive has proved critical in helping millions of American families—our customers—who are struggling to make ends meet during this continuing recession," said NALC President Fredric Rolando.

The NALC is grateful for all the support that postal customers have given to the food drive over the years.  But the needs are greater than ever this year. “Sixteen percent of all Americans are at risk of hunger—uncertain where their next meal may be coming from. That includes 1 in 5 children under the age of 18, plus 4 million seniors who are forced every day to choose between paying a utility bill and buying food,” Rolando said.

The NALC hopes to build on last year's success.   “Last year, despite many obstacles, letter carriers proudly collected 70.2 million pounds of food, raising the total amount of donations picked up over the history of the drive to more than 1.1 billion pounds,” Rolando said. “With help from our brothers and sisters in the rural craft, alongside other postal employees and volunteers, letter carriers will do what we can again.