Stamp out hunger

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Clarkston-area letter carriers will collect non-perishable food donations left by mailboxes and in post offices this Saturday for local community food banks, during their Stamp Out Hunger National Food Drive.
‘Not only do we feed a lot of less fortunate people, but we also inform the community on the importance of donations,” said Carlean Newman of Clarkston Post Office, who has been rallying the cause for over 11 years. “With enough donations, we are sometimes able to fill up the Lighthouse and even donate extra to the Gleaner’s Food Bank.?
Donations have been plentiful in years past, and Newman is expecting just as much this year, if not more.
‘We have less sponsors this year than last, so we are really trying to get the word out about our cause,? she said. ‘We always do very well in our city and rural communities, especially in Clarkston. We’re just hoping we can recieve even more donations this year.?
Every second Saturday in May, letter carriers in more than 10,000 cities and towns across America collect donations in the National Association of Letter Carriers’ food drive.
Led by NALC letter carriers, with help from rural letter carriers, other postal employees and other volunteers, the drive has delivered more than one billion pounds of food the past 22 years.
To donate, place boxes or cans of non-perishable food next to your mailbox before your letter carrier delivers mail on the second Saturday in May. The carrier will do the rest. The food is sorted, and delivered to an area food bank or pantry, where it is available for needy families.
? Lauren Barnhardt

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Clarkston letter carriers collect food donations for families in need, May 14, in the Stamp Out Hunger food drive.
The U.S. Postal Service and Campbell Soup is partnering with National Association of Letter Carriers to sponsor the annual event.
To participate, place bags filled with canned meats, fish, soup, vegetables, plastic bottled juice, pasta, cereal, rice, and other nonperishable food items next to your mailbox ? no expired items or glass containers.
Letter carriers pick them up and deliver them to local food banks. For more informtaion, check helpstamp outhunger.com.

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The Lake Orion Post Office needs your help to ‘stamp out hunger? on Saturday, May 10, when they host their annual food drive in conjunction with post offices all around the country.
This year’s Letter Carriers Food Drive is the 16th one, and marked with the slogan, ‘It’s not in the bag without you.?
According to Pamela Wilson, who is coordinating the food drive for the Lake Orion Post Office, all the food collected through this food drive will go to Oxford/Orion FISH, which directly helps needy individuals in the Lake Orion and Oxford areas. Wilson said that people going hungry is an issue in this community.
‘You don’t have to look very far to find a person in need,? she said. ‘You basically just need to look down your street.?
Wilson noted that it is an issue she sees every day on her route, adding that seniors and children are some of the hardest hit.
‘The most needy in the area are those children that are on the lunch programs, getting those school lunches and school breakfasts,? she said, pointing out that school will be out for the summer soon. ‘They’re not going to have the help feeding their children in the morning and at lunch.?
According to Wilson, in previous years, the food they collected in the drive would last FISH about seven months, and it now lasts for around 28 days. In March alone, FISH gave out 9,930 pounds of food to local families in need.
The Lake Orion Post Office collected 11,477 pounds of food in last year’s drive, and Postmaster Ted Banks said it’s their goal to exceed that this year.
‘There’s a greater need this year than it’s been any other year,? he said. ‘Those that have need to take care of those that have not.?
The community can get involved in helping their neighbors, their children’s classmates and others in need by simply putting out non-perishable items on May 10.
When the carriers come around to deliver the mail, they will pick up the food and bring it back to the post office where volunteers from FISH will take it to be sorted and organized.
For people that don’t feel comfortable leaving the items at their mailboxes, there is a dropbox located in the outer lobby at the post office.
Banks also says that if you missed your carrier on the day of the food drive, call the post office and they will send someone out to pick up your donations. The phone number at the Lake Orion Post Office is (248)693-3253.
The post office is also collecting cash, check and grocery gift card donations in a jar in their lobby to help families purchase perishable items such as milk, bread and eggs, Wilson explained. Checks should be made out to Oxford/Orion FISH.
According to Wilson, the Lake Orion Post Office delivers to 16,000 commercial and residential mailboxes in the area.
‘If 16,000 people put one to five cans of food out, imagine how much that could be,? she said.
Wilson noted that she realizes that times are tough and it’s hard to give, but every little bit helps.
‘I’m a big believer that what goes around comes around,? she said. ‘When you have the grace to help someone else, I really think that comes back around to you.?
For those that can’t donate food or money, Wilson said they can donate some of their time to help FISH organize and sort food.
Sorters are needed on May 10 from 1-6 p.m. and May 11 from noon to 4 p.m. Oxford/Orion FISH can be reached at (248)693-0638.

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