Annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive needs volunteers, donations

“It’s a nationwide campaign that letter carriers saw the need for during the summertime to feed those who are hungry,” said Janet Way, letter carrier for the Emporia Post Office. “We do this the second Saturday in May each year. All you have to do is leave nonperishable items in a bag in or by your mailbox. We will pick them up and will get them to the Salvation Army.”

Letter carriers will be distributing blue bags and reminder cards to postal customers in the next few days to prepare for the pick-up on Saturday.

Way said the need to stock the local pantry was great as it is depleted easily.

“We have two major food drives here,” she said. “The first is done by KVOE in the fall and we do ours in the spring. I guarantee you, by the time fall arrives, the pantry is empty. There are kids home for summer needing to be fed. There are also adults who have to choose between food and keeping the lights on or paying their water bill. We are also getting into severe weather season and one significant event could deplete the pantry.”

Suzanne Worthen-Miller, emergency services coordinator for the Salvation Army, said volunteers are still needed to help assist with loading food items onto trucks to be delivered to the pantry.

“To volunteer, call Salvation Army at 342-3093 and we can get you signed up for a shift,” she said. “We will have shifts from 9 a.m. to maybe 6 p.m. It may not be that late, it just depends on when the last letter carrier comes through. We will need an assembly line of people for maybe the 3 - 6 p.m. timeframe also, depending on when it gets really busy.”

Worthen-Miller said trucks with the Salvation Army emblem will be parked at the post office at around 9 a.m. Saturday.

“People can volunteer for the amount of hours they wish,” she said. “We have shifts of 9 a.m. - 11 a.m., 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., 1 - 3 p.m. and 3 - 6 p.m. Whatever someone can work is fine, I’ll take whatever I can get.”

The donated food will be available for residents in Emporia and Lyon County.

“People can come to us if in need,” Worthen-Miller said. “It is based on family size and income for food pantry visits. We are open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. and from 1 - 4 p.m.”

Way said if someone forgets or is leaving town for the weekend, they could still leave their items in the days before and after Saturday.

“We know we some have graduations this weekend and may forget and remember later,” she said. “They can still put those out for us and we will pick them up.”

Last year, local letter carriers collected 18,000 pounds of food, which filled the Salvation Army truck.

“We hope to collect that much or more this year,” Way said. “We want to thank all those who participate in the food drive and donate to it. We couldn’t help those in need without these donations. We would like to go into the summer with a full pantry for the people of Emporia and Lyon County.”

Stamp Out Hunger items needed:

Breakfast, snack, condiments, baking, soups, canned fruits, vegetables and tomatoes, carbs, proteins, drinks, personal hygiene, baby, household cleaners and laundry items are needed.

Do not donate items which have expired or are in glass containers.

For more information, visit www.stampouthungerfooddrive.us or call Salvation Army at 342-3093 or drop by 327 Constitution St.