Postal workers hold annual food drive

Anyway that you want to leave it on your porches, postal workers will collect food items for the needy on Saturday, May 12.

We will be providing bags, or they can use their own bags, said postal worker KaSandra Erwin. They can also just set the cans down on the porch. People also do just that.

The food collection is a combined effort of the National Association of Letter Carriers and U.S. Postal Service.

Last year. Branch 1 (Detroit, Southfield, Livonia, and Garden City) of NALC collected 283,300 pounds of food, Erwin said. Nationwide, 210,000 letter carriers collect food on the largest food drive day in the world.

She advised residents to simply place their nonperishables canned soup, canned meats and fish, canned vegetables fruits and juices, boxed goods such as cereal, pasta, and rice near their mailboxes on the morning of May 12.

We will make certain it gets picked up, rain or shine, Erwin said. Most Garden City residents should expect a post card in their mail during the week leading up to the drive with a bag attached for food donations, but they can always use their own bags and boxes, if needed.

Food can also be dropped off in the lobby of the Garden City post office located at Merriman and Cherry Hill.

This is the 20th anniversary and we have collected over one billion pounds of food since beginning in 1993, Erwin said. The need is greater than ever with 46 percent of households reporting having to choose between paying a utility bill or buying food, according to Feeding America, Erwin said. Nearly 49 million Americans are hungry, 16 million being children.

sbuck@hometownlife.com (313) 222-2249

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Postal workers hold annual food drive