Post office picking up canned goods, too

It's OK to leave a little food in the mail box, once a year.

On May 12, the United States Postal Service will conduct its 15th annual National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Food Drive, and several Putnam County post offices will take part.

The Greencastle Post Office is taking the lead in the project. Letter carrier Janie Briones, who has been with the post since 1992, said the food will be collected and then taken to the Putnam County Senior Center for distribution.

"We just basically get all we can," Briones said. "It's (improved) every year. Carriers will be putting an extra effort into it."

Briones said there will also be food tubs set up at post offices in Bainbridge, Roachdale, Russellville, Cloverdale and Fillmore. The tubs will be set up on May 2 and will be in those post offices until May 12.

Food that is collected will be picked up by carriers from the Greencastle Post Office for distribution.

She said cards informing residents of the event will be delivered one week prior to the event.

Briones has taken part in the event four times in the past.

"I've had the experience of seeing the pantry before and after," she said. "It's just unreal. It's a sense of helping."

The event is sponsored by the United States Postal Service, Campbell Soup Company, Valpak, America's Second Harvest -- The Nation's Food Bank Network, United Way and the AFL-CIO Community Services Network.

According to www.usps.com, 2005 statistics for the drive indicate that it collected a record 71.3 million pounds of food and during a 13-year span, the program has collected a half billion pounds.

Locally, the senior center typically collects any type of food item, including canned tuna, canned meat, canned vegetables (green beans, peas, etc.), canned fruits, fruit juices, cereals, canned pork and beans, soups, boxed macaroni and cheese, dry potato flakes or other dry potatoes, peanut butter and toilet paper.

In addition, items that are given away in every box or bag include cake, brownie, cookie mixes, jellies, ketchup, mustard, pickles and crackers.