Leave Food By Your Mailbox This Weekend

This is the weekend to leave a bag or box full of non-perishable food items near your mailbox, for the Letter Carriers' Food Drive.

It's probably one of the easiest ways to help out the food insecure in your community. You don't have to deliver it to a food pantry or make a special trip to the location of a food drive. Just pick up the groceries you want to donate, put them in a bag, and leave them in or near your mailbox. That's it! And the postal carrier has probably even provided the yellow bag, that you found with your mail this week.

Postal carriers will be getting some help on their rounds Saturday from folks whose job it is to collect those donations and transport them back to the Post Office. The food will be sorted and delivered to local food pantries. So, not only is it an easy way to donate, it's also a great way to benefit your own community.

This is the 26th year the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive has helped provide food to local residents. They do their part, now it's our turn to make those donations and make it their most successful year ever.

Some of the items they need include:

• Canned goods, including tuna, chicken, salmon, vegetables, soups, fruits
• Pasta
• Rice
• Canned and boxed meals, like chili, stew, mac 'n cheese
• 100% fruit juice
• Cooking  Oil
• Boxed cooking mixes, like pancakes or breads

What they CAN'T use:

• Homemade foods
• Perishable items, like fresh fruits and vegetables or meats
• Glass containers
• Rusty or unlabeled cans
• Expired items
• Alcoholic beverages or mixes
• Soda