Food drive is one big help

Helping feed a whole lot of folks in need of some help is the idea behind one very big food drive led by postal letter carriers.

Those same people who deliver the mail right to your box, joined by many others, are the ones set to pick up donations of food on Saturday, May 13.

It’s called the “Stamp Out Hunger” drive as more than 190 cities in central and western Oklahoma, including five in Garvin County, are listed as participating in the one-day drive.

Here in Pauls Valley all food donations will benefit the Delta Community Action food pantry serving those in need throughout the county.

Anita Gosnell of the pantry describes a scene of hallways in the Delta offices in PV crammed full of donations after each year’s letter carriers' drive.

“You can’t imagine the piles of food we have here after every one of these food drives,” Gosnell says.

“It fills a void. It’s perfect timing because it comes at a time when the allotment of money for us to buy food is down a bit,” she said.

“This drive really picks me up; it really boosts things for us. I can run on that quite a few months.”

The way the drive works is area residents are asked to collect canned food items for the drive; then place those items by their mailboxes before a letter carrier and other volunteers arrive to pick them up on May 13.

The items most needed include canned meats, fruits and vegetables; meat-based soups; peanut butter; rice; and beans.

Nonperishable food donations can also be dropped off at participating post offices.

Here in Garvin County the towns set to take part are Pauls Valley, Wynnewood, Stratford, Maysville and Lindsay.

With donations in PV going to the Delta pantry, it’s typical for food collected in these other towns in the county to go directly to local food efforts.

Monetary donations can also be made at feeding hope.org online or by calling 405-600-3136.

According to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, every dollar donated will provide five meals for Oklahomans with “inconsistent access to food.”

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Gosnell says the response she sees from the community for this food drive is always way up there.

“Every year we get fantastic support from the community,” she adds. “There have always been people in this town that are generous and ready to help out.

“And there’s the postal service people and all the work they do for this drive. It does take a lot of work.

“There’s no telling how many extra people we can feed because of what all these people do.”

Since 1993 the Letter Carriers’ Food Drive has raised more than 9.7 million pounds of food for residents in this region of the state.

“The Letter Carriers’ Food Drive is more important than ever,” said Katie Fitzgerald, chief executive officer of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.

“During the summer, utility bills skyrocket and children, who usually receive meals at school, may not have enough to eat. We are asking the community to help us by donating canned food items through the Letter Carriers’ Food Drive.

“We wouldn’t be able to help our neighbors struggling with hunger without your support.”