Post office food drive planned for Saturday

Neighbors helping neighbors is the goal for local entities this weekend.

The Letter Carrier's Food Drive Day is Saturday. The primary goal of the 16-year tradition is to help "Stamp Out Hunger" in the community.

Tom German, an Onslow County letter carrier, said the food drive is the largest single-day food drive in the United States.

"Branches all across the United States and a couple other areas like Puerto Rico participate in the food drive to gather food for the different entities like United Way and the Salvation Army," he said.

Last year, around 39,000 pounds of food was collected in Onslow County, German said.

"The food that is collected in Onslow County stays in Onslow County," he said. "It stays for the folks who need it here, and we do have a lot of needy families here in (the county)."

Brooke Burgess, executive director of Onslow County's United Way, said it has participated in the food drive for 16 years.

"All the food that is collected goes to seven of our local food pantries," she said, "including the Onslow Community soup kitchen, Second Chance Mission of Hope, Onslow Women's Center, Salvation Army, Friends of Aging with Senior Services, Faith Outreach Holy Ministries and the Armed Service YMCA."

Burgess also said the food collected on Camp Lejeune and New River Air Station stays on the bases and go to the people who need it there.

"This food drive is a simple gesture that citizens can do for people in the community," she said. "(It makes a) huge difference to the entities that get the food and to those who need the food. This year we might have a lot of folks in need."

German said that the food drive is held this time of year because people often don't think of donating right after school gets out.

"When the kids who have needs are in school, they are able to get school meals," he said. "But when school is out they don't get the food that they need."

The first food drive was held in the fall, German said, but the agencies that help with the drive asked that it be held in the spring.

"We have had major success since they moved it to May," he said.

Lee Barrows, supervisor at the Jacksonville post office, said that they are looking for canned vegetables, fruit and soup; boxed foods; juices; cereal; oatmeal; and any other nonperishable food items.

"We can't take anything that is in a glass jar, however, because it is not safe," she said.

Barrows said that on Saturday, any donated food can be left either near, on or in the mailbox, and everyone is encouraged to donate.

For more information on the national food drive visit www.nalc.org/commun/foodrive.

Contact city and county government reporter Heather Gale at hgale@freedomenc.com or 910-219-8464. Visit jdnews.com to comment on this report.