Mail carriers to participate in annual food drive on May 13

Mail carriers with the U.S. Postal Service in Libby will take part in the annual “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive on Saturday, May 13.

The National Association of Letter Carriers is marking the 31st anniversary of the food drive.

“Letter carriers walk through the community every day, often coming face to face with a sad reality of hunger for too many people,” said Theresa Muniz. “So each year on the second Saturday in May, letter carriers across the country collect non-perishable food donations from their customers. These donations go directly to local food pantries to provide food to people in Libby who need our help.”

Participation in the food drive is simple, Muniz said. “Just leave a non-perishable food donation in a bag by your mailbox.”

In its 30-year history, the national drive has collected more than 1.88 billion pounds of food, thanks to a postal service universal delivery network that spans the entire nation, including Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Muniz said that in past years, local mail carriers have collected between 3,000 to 4,800 pounds of food. Last year, they collected more than 3,400 pounds of food for our food pantry.

“The need for food donations is great,” she said. “Currently, 35 million Americans are unsure where their next meal is coming from. Children and seniors most often feel the greatest need. Our food drive's timing is crucial. Food banks and pantries often receive the majority of their donations during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons. By springtime, many pantries are depleted, entering the summer low on supplies at a time when many school breakfast and lunch programs may not be available to children in need.”

Muniz thanked donors of the past and future for their generosity.

“Thank you in advance Libby postal customers. We appreciate all that you do and give to help our community,” she said. “Let’s see if we can beat it this year!”