Local Letter Carriers Help Stamp Out Hunger

Bella Caggiano
Issue Date: 
May, 2019
Article Body: 

Helping feed the hungry and local residents is as easy as mailing a letter...without getting into a car or a trip to the post office. On Saturday, May 11, letter carriers will be picking up non-perishable food throughout Norwood neighborhoods as part of the 26th Annual Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.
On this day, rain or shine, when Norwood residents leave marked bags of non-perishable food by their mailbox in the morning, mail carriers will pick up the packages during their regular delivery routes and deliver them to the Norwood Ecumenical Food Pantry. All types of non-perishable food are welcome, including peanut butter, coffee, canned fruit, canned tomato sauces/paste, diced and whole tomatoes, canned meat and hash. The only requirement is that all cans and boxes must be new and in good condition. Anything outdated or opened has to be thrown away for health reasons.
Local food banks and pantries suggested this late spring date would best benefit their diminishing shelves from the influx of donations received during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons.
Norwood is one of 10,000 cities and towns across America taking part in the Letter Carriers’ Food Drive. The national effort began in 1992 and letter carriers, represented by the National Association of Letter Carriers, postal employees, volunteers, and sponsoring organizations, have delivered 1.4 billion pounds of donated food to regional food banks and local food pantries, including almost 71 million pounds in 2015.
Any donation, large or small is greatly appreciated. So look through your pantry or pick up a few items at the grocery store and place them in a marked bag by the mailbox the morning of Saturday, May 11. This drive is another shining example of local residents helping thy neighbor.