You’ve got mail! Keep an eye out for a postcard from your letter carrier announcing the annual Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on Saturday, May 14, 2016. In its 24th year, this largest one-day food drive in America is sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) and all non-perishable food items donated locally will benefit Operation Hope of Fairfield.
If your letter carrier is participating, place non-perishable food donations next to your mailbox on Saturday, May 14th. Your letter carrier will collect the food and deliver it to Operation Hope.
Operation Hope’s Food Pantry is in need of: beef stew, brown rice/flavored rice or pasta dishes, canned chicken, canned fruit, Chef Boyardee / spaghetti-o’s, clam chowder, coffee, egg noodles, flour, granola bars and other individual snacks (lunchbox-style), green tea, jelly/jam, ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, oil, salad dressing, sugar, shampoo, tomato sauce and toothpaste.
According to the NALC, last year’s drive collected more than 70 million pounds of non-perishable food and essentials nationwide. The Fairfield Post Office, which includes Southport, collected 253 bins of non-perishable food and essentials last year.
Local letter carriers will deliver food donations to the Bigelow Center for Senior Activities, 100 Mona Terrace, Fairfield. Volunteers will be on hand to collect and sort the donations. William B. Meyer, Inc., a provider of transportation, storage and distribution services, has once again generously donated the use of a truck, lock and ramp for the storage and transportation of the food donations to the Food Pantry.
“The Town of Fairfield is proud to support the Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive and provide space at the Bigelow Center for Senior Activities as the collection point,” said Mike Tetreau, Fairfield’s First Selectman. “More than ever, our local food banks, pantries and shelters need our help. As people count on these places for support, Operation Hope is counting on us and together, we must look out for our neighbors in need.”
“We’re seeing an increased usage of our Food Pantry, which means the shelves are emptied faster than we can keep up,” said Kathleen McNamara, Operation Hope Food Pantry Manager. “We are grateful to our local residents for helping area families and individuals who are hungry,” she commented. “And remember, if your letter carrier is not participating, Operation Hope needs food all year long. Donations can be made daily.”
About Operation Hope - The mission of Operation Hope is to provide the opportunity for individuals and families to experience transformative change. By addressing basic needs for food and shelter, as well as offering long-term solutions to hunger and homelessness, including affordable housing, life skills training and personalized clinical support, we help people reach their potential in an environment where compassion inspires dignity and hope. For more information, contact Operation Hope at (203) 292-5588 or visit www.operationhopect.org.
For more information, please contact:
Sonal S. Rajan at
srajan@operationhopect.org or 203-545-4963
Jennifer S. Carpenter at 203-256-3095,
203-685-8126 or jcarpenter@fairfieldct.org