Every spring, Iowans donate several tons of canned goods to the needy through the U.S. Postal Service’s annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive.
This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday. Charles City postal worker Jim Sanner says volunteers will be helping with the food pick-up process in communities across Iowa.
“Starting Saturday morning around 8:30, we’ll have volunteers at the post office along with the carriers who will be canvassing the neighborhoods,” Sanner says. “If you could have donated items out early, regardless of your delivery time, it would be appreciated.” Sanner says it’s easy for Iowans to help out.
“We ask that you place the donations in a paper or plastic bag or box, whatever works, and leave it close to the mailbox where we can spot it,” he says. Rural customers are asked to place their donated food items inside their mailbox, so rural postal workers don’t have to get out of their delivery vehicles. He also asks that you check the expiration date on all canned goods before setting them out.
“The local food pantry, by law, cannot distribute food that’s expired, so they have to go through each donated item, check the dates, and if they’re expired, they have to set it out for removal,” he says. Sanner says if a volunteer or a postal worker misses a donation, they will come back to get the items. Learn more at USPS.gov.
(By Chris Berg, KCHA, Charles City)