The Letter Carriers’ Food Drive is the largest one-day food drive in the nation and this year it takes place on May 12th. Every year we ask you to participate by putting a bag of food by your mailbox on the Saturday before Mother’s Day before your normal mail delivery time. But where does the food go? How does it get in the hands of the people who need it? How much is collected? Here’s a little breakdown of the process:
BEFORE:
- All residences receive a post card about the food drive.
- Some residences will also receive a paper bag (provided by generous sponsors who support the letter carriers) to help publicize the drive.
DURING:
- When nonperishable food (please, no glass) is left by a mailbox the letter carrier will pick up the food when they deliver the mail that day.
- Food Bank trucks and volunteers are stationed at the post offices to help the letter carriers unload their trucks.
- It is a longer than usual and tiring day for the letter carriers, but it’s a rewarding one–as they know their hard work will add smiles to many faces during the summer months.
AFTER:
- The food gets inspected, sorted and boxed by volunteers at the Food Bank warehouses and then gets distributed to agencies who then bag it up for those in need.
- Some of the food sometimes goes to the Food Bank’s Senior Food Program.
This nationwide drive collects over 70 million pounds of food a year!
The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano received 222,413 pounds of food last year! Our goal is to beat last year’s total. When you see your letter carrier, please let them know you appreciate their hard work in making this event a success.
Please help us fill the shelves this year!
The shelves in our Concord warehouse before and after a Letter Carriers’ Food Drive
