Post Office donates items for food drive

Submitted by Pittsburg1 on
When people think of hunger, often, they envision foreign countries such as Africa, Asia, or China. However, hunger is an issue America faces right here at home as well. One group that sees the harsh realities of this epidemic are our postal workers.
 
Each year on the second Saturday in May, letter carriers across the country collect non-perishable food items from postal customers. These donations go directly to local food pantries to provide food to people in Pittsburg who are in need.
 
Last year the United States Postal Service (USPS) collected over 74 million pounds of food nationally, feeding an estimated 30 million people. Over the course of its 21- year history, the drive has collected over one billion pounds of food, thanks to a postal service universal delivery network that spans the entire nation, including Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
 
The need for donations is vast. Currently 49 million Americans—1 in 6— are unsure where their next meal is from. Sixteen million are children who feel hunger’s impact on their overall health and ability to perform in school. In addition, nearly 5 million seniors over the age of 60 are food insecure, with many who live on fixed incomes and are often too embarrassed to ask for help.
 
The food drive’s timing is crucial as well. Food banks and pantries often receive the majority of their donations during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons. By springtime, many pantries are depleted, entering the summer low on supplies at a time when many school breakfast and lunch programs are not available to children in need.
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