They call it the Superbowl of food drives.
Postal workers all across Mid-Missouri are teaming up with the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri for the 20th Annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.
More than 20 Mid-Missouri post offices are collecting food on Saturday morning for the food drive. Organizers sent special collection bags to homeowners in Columbia, Jefferson City and Sedalia. Columbia letter carrier and food drive coordinator Jeff Connell wants his co-workers to collect 3 semi-truckloads of food. It’s easy to donate.
Connell said, “You just put a bag of food by your mailbox. We prefer that you do it early because we have some helpers coming around. Otherwise, we’d be out there all day. We pick it up and bring it straight to the pantries.”
Stamp Out Hunger is a nationwide event. It’s the largest one-day food drive in the country. The annual food drive couldn’t come at a better time of year. Many needy families depend on schools to provide nutrition to their children.
Food Bank communications coordinator Rachel Ellersieck said, “Donations from the holidays have already dwindled down. We’re getting ready to go into the hungriest time of the year. A lot of people don’t realize that summertime is when a lot of families are in the most need because their kids aren’t getting access to school lunches. Their food budgets are having to be stretched even further.”
When putting your food by your mailbox on Saturday morning, make sure it’s non-perishable food such as can goods, cereals and other items that don’t need refrigeration.
Columbia letter carriers will be collecting, sorting and delivering food throughout Saturday at their Walnut Street location.
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