Letter carriers to collect food donations

Postal employees gather to support the "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive which will take place this Saturday. Top row, from left: Josh Brandon, Billy Davis, Mike Ware, David Cropper, Tammy Dunn, Tracy Stacy, Tammy Fuller, Ronnie Helton. Second row: William Rice, Jerry Halliday, Adam Williams, Casey Gardner, Pat Williams, Christy Forsythe, Tommy Curtis, Tom Taylor, Chris King. Front row: Dawn Holley, United Way of Bedford County; Cathy Miller, Good Samaritan Association; Gary Hooker; Jane Mosier.
(Submitted photo)

Food items can be left in your mail box or in a bag next to your mail box and will be picked up by carriers as they make their normal rounds. Items can also be brought to the lobby of the U.S. Post Office in Shelbyville.

Millions of Americans are either hungry or living on the brink of hunger, say program organizers.

According to Cathy Miller of Good Samaritan, items that are particularly needed include:

* Canned meat products

* Ravioli

* Spaghetti and meatballs

* Spaghetti sauce (in a can, not a jar)

* Tuna

* Peanut butter

* Soup

* Pork and beans

* Canned fruit

Other sponsors of the annual event include the U.S. Postal Service, Campbell's Soup, the AFL-CIO and United Way. This is the 16th year for the event, which is billed as the nation's largest single-day food drive.

Customers on rural routes may need to make prior arrangements with their letter carrier; some rural vehicles or mailbox locations don't lend themselves to easy collection, and so advance notice is helpful in those locations.

Organizers say participants should not donate items which are past their expiration dates or those in glass containers.

On the web

helpstampouthunger.com