Local postal carriers help 'Stamp Out Hunger'

Greencastle rural carrier Jay Edwards unloads a box of goods during last year's food drive.

When letter carriers take to the roads of Putnam County on Saturday, not only will they be delivering the mail, they will also be collecting goods for those who need it most right here in the community.

As part of the 19th annual "Stamp Out Hunger" national food drive, the carriers will be picking up bags and boxes of canned goods and other non-perishable food and non-food items for local food pantries.

Carriers from the Greencastle Post Office will be collecting for the Putnam County Emergency Food Pantry, while Bainbridge carriers will collect for Two Fish Food Pantry. Other local post offices that have confirmed their involvement this year include Roachdale, Russellville, Reelsville and Coatesville.

Greencastle Carriers will also be accepting pet food to take to the Humane Society of Putnam County.

Food may be left at mailboxes and in post offices.

The efforts of letter carriers represented by the National Association of Letter Carriers (AFL-CIO), with the help of rural letter carriers, other postal employees and numerous other volunteers has resulted in delivery of over one billion pounds of donations to community food banks and pantries over the past 18 years, including 77.1 million in 2010.

Nearly 1,500 local NALC branches are involved in this year's drive.

The drive relies on the support of Campbell Soup Co., its major corporate sponsor, Valpak Direct Marketing, the U.S. Postal Service, National Rural Letter Carriers Association, the United Way Worldwide, AFL-CIO's Community Services Network, Feeding America and Uncle Bob's Self Storage.

Support is also provided from "Family Circus" cartoonists Bil and Jeff Keane, who create a special cartoon to promote the drive.