OMAHA, Neb. — Residents throughout Omaha are being asked to help feed the needy by participating in a nationwide food drive sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers in conjunction with the U.S. Postal Service and the Food Bank for the Heartland.
Omaha Letter Carriers, along with their fellow Rural Carriers will collect nonperishable food donations left by mailboxes along their routes as they deliver the mail on Saturday, May 8, to help stock local food banks for the needy, Donna Whitmarsh, President, Branch 5, National Association of Letter Carriers, announced today.
This one-day food drive is part of a nationwide drive designed to fill food bank pantries through the summer months, when levels are traditionally low. Letter carriers from all 50 states and hundreds of cities will take part. This is the 17th year that the Omaha Post Office has participated in this drive. The effort by members of the National Association of Letter Carriers, Rural Letter Carriers and other volunteers is the largest one-day food drive in the nation (and in Omaha).
Thanks to the Omaha community last year, Food Bank for the Heartland in Omaha received 57,757 pounds of food. Nationwide the drive delivered a record 73.1 million pounds. Postal employees in all 50 states will participate in the food drive, which since 1993 has resulted in delivery of more than 1 billion pounds of donations to community food banks and pantries.
“We ask all residents to leave non-perishable food items next to their mailbox on May 8 to help make this drive a success and help feed the needy in this area,” said Whitmarsh. “It may mean a heavier satchel for our carriers, but the burden will be eased by knowing that our efforts will help feed families in need.” Food collected by carriers will be taken to the Food Bank located in Omaha.
Omaha Postmaster Keith Reid said the U.S. Postal Service is delighted to be a partner in this humanitarian effort. "The U.S. Postal Service touches the lives of all residents of the Omaha Area," Reid said. "We are pleased that our postal facilities and operation can act as a way for our customers to help others in the community."
Susan Ogborn, President of the Food Bank, said, "The Food Bank is very grateful for the dedicated effort of the Omaha postal employees and other volunteers in collecting food on May 8, 2010. The letter carrier drive is our biggest food drive and we need it because the demand for service from the Food Bank is at its highest in the spring and summer months.”
NOTE: Best time for interviews or photos would be any time after 4:00 p.m. Volunteers will be at the Food Bank until at least 6:30 p.m.
