It’s that time of year where a little effort and loving concern would help the less fortunate in your area. You yourselves may not need this extra help, but believe me, there are certainly people who are having a hard time that you may not even know need this help. I mean, maybe your neighbor, friend, acquaintances, co-worker or even a relative may be on the receiving end of much needed help.
With the help of an annual event that is held on every second Saturday in May for the past 23 years called the National Association of Letter Carriers “Stamp Out Hunger,” shelves at local pantries and shelters are restocked with non-perishable food items. Some of the agencies from this area that will benefit from this food drive are St. Anthony’s Church, Salvation Army, PACE, Red Cross, Catholic Social Services, all from the New Bedford area; Shepherd’s Pantry from Acushnet and the Damien’s Pantry from Wareham.
On this day, food items are picked up by letter carriers and their helpers on their individual routes throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Last year, 71 million pounds of food were collected nationally, feeding an estimated 49 million people. This year marks our 24th anniversary to which well over one billion pounds of food have been donated by kind and compassionate people such as yourselves during this time.
WOW, you might be thinking? How can I help you may ask? Well…you can help by simply reaching into your cupboards and pick out some non-perishable food items that you would be willing to share with the less fortunate. You then place this food in a bag or in a box and leave it by your mailbox or porch by 8 a.m., rain or shine, on the morning of Saturday May 14th. Your letter carriers and designated helpers will do the rest.
It’s that simple.
This yearly venture, being the biggest one-day food drive in our country if not the world, is crucial for the survival of the agencies that are the recipients of this food.
So yes, you can make a difference in people’s lives. Please consider our request because together, we can help those in need. Thanks.
Gerry Payette, Fairhaven P.O. food drive coordinator
To download this week’s issue: https://fairhavenneighborhoodnews.com/2016-2/
