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Local residents can help stock shelves at local food banks. Simply place bagged non- perishable food such as granola bars, canned and boxed foods next to mailboxes on May 10th.
The 16th annual National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) food drive will take place on Saturday, May 10. The drive is the largest one-day food collection in the nation, and is critical for filling local food banks during the summer months. Montgomery County Emergency Assistance Program community service worker, Melanie Collins states, “the food drive provides six times the amount of food that we regularly receive but that it is all gone by the beginning of July.” The need is pressing. NALC President, William H. Young says, “this year more Americans then ever are in need of assistance.” All the food collected will go directly to local food banks and shelters.
In recent months the cost of gas and food has increased dramatically. Young says, “the need is very great, with many, many food pantries reporting record numbers of men, women and children seeking assistance.” In 2007, 70.7 million pounds of non-perishable foods were delivered but Young asked each NALC branch to increase collections this year. The timing of the drive is critical since the demand on food banks increases during the summer months. Shelters and food banks provide more food to families during the summer when there are fewer school breakfast or lunch programs. When school is out of session the source of nutrition for many children is suspended. Local programs that will benefit from this years drive include the Radford Department of Social Services & Radford Emergency Assistance Program, Radford/Fairlawn Daily Bread, Floyd County Emergency Assistance Program, Interfaith Food Pantry in Blacksburg, The Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley, the Shawsville Food Pantry and the Montgomery County Emergency Assistance Program. Local charities are not the only ones excited about the event. Letter carriers and members at the National Rural Letter Carriers’ (who also participate) are excited and honored to take part in the nations largest one-day food drive. Lisa Carver at the Blacksburg Post Office said, “the food drive is a wonderful experience and that is why the letter carriers do it each year.” Since the drive started in 1993, the NALC has collected over 836.2 millions pounds of food. The enormous successes can only be contributed to the massive coordinated efforts made by the community, mail carriers and other local agencies.
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