On May 9,2009 the 17th annual National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive had letter carriers around Colorado busy! Throughout the country, letter carriers picked up food donations from mail boxes along their routes. How does the day work? We’ve laid out a brief(ish) play by play to guide you through the schedule of getting the food from people’s homes to the mouths of our hungry neighbors.
University Park Post Office… ( just one of the many offices participating) At 5:00 pm, letter carriers return to the post office in trucks filled to the brim with food. Volunteers from Cornerstone Church and Food Bank of the Rockies assist the letter carriers in bringing in and sorting the donated food. Can after can…box after box pour through the door until the last carrier returns at 6:00 pm.
Once all the food is packed and sorted, the postal bins are loaded on FBR’s truck and brought to our warehouse. A long day ending for the letter carriers equals a busy evening fueling up for volunteers and staff at FBR. Over 100 volunteers arrive to tackle the overwhelming amount of food arriving at FBR! Our more muscular volunteers lift food bins off the truck and onto the scale – they’re heavy, averaging 1200 pounds!
Next, bins are rolled to the sorting area. Volunteers examine every can and box to ensure it’s sealed and safe. Boxes are stacked on a pallet and wrapped for safe keeping. They don’t stick around long! Monday, these boxes are distributed to hunger relief agencies who will directly give them out to our neighbors in need. The night finally wraps up around 10:00 pm.
Volunteers and letter carriers most likely woke up the next morning with a few sore muscles, but all the lifting, sorting and boxing is worth the effort! Thousands of hungry people will be ensured a much needed meal because of the work and generosity that went into the 17th annual National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. It’s a mouthful!
Thank you National Association of Letter Carriers, Volunteers and everyone who donated food. You are truly making a difference!
