Stamp of Approval: Food Drive a Success for Local Food Bank
By Donathan Prater
Published: May 11, 2010
To say that the community “delivered” might be an understatement.
Local postal carriers picked up 30,832 pounds of food during Saturday’s Stamp Out Hunger! Food Drive, said Food Bank of East Alabama executive director Martha Henk. Donations collected in Auburn, Opelika, Dadeville, Tuskegee and Waverly post offices benefitted the Food Bank of East Alabama.
The annual food drive, now in its 18th year, was conducted nationwide and is the largest one-day food collection event in the country.
As part of the “Stamp Out Hunger! Food Drive,” both Auburn and Opelika letter carriers left plastic bags during the week prior to the drive in which residents were asked to place whatever canned goods and non-perishable food items they could give and place by their mailboxes. Letter carriers then picked up the canned goods as they ran their Saturday mail routes.
One area in Auburn (Sanders Street and Cedarbrook Drive) had so much food out for pick up that the post office had to send out an additional truck just to get the donations, Henk said. “I think the key to the success of this drive was that the letter carriers made it so easy-all we had to do is remember to put the food out.”
The Food Bank of East Alabama distributes an average of 12 tractor-trailer loads of food each month to more than 150 agencies.
“This food will have a tremendous impact on our ability to serve agencies and feed people in need during the summer months,” Henk said.
The Food Bank of East Alabama accepts donations year-round.
According to the food bank’s website, http://www.foodbankofeastalabama.com, food donations may be delivered to The Food Bank of East Alabama at 375 Industry Drive any time. A drop box is available for donations after hours. Financial donations may be mailed to: The Food Bank of East Alabama, 375 Industry Drive, Auburn, AL 36832.
