Annual postal workers food drive is Saturday

The 24th annual postal service’s Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is set for Saturday.

Postal workers are asking people across the state and the nation to set out non-perishable food items such as canned goods by their mailboxes. Mail carriers pick up the donations when they deliver your mail.

Last year Nevada residents gave a total of 529,000 pounds of food and nearly half of it, 226,000 pounds, came from northern Nevada.

A spokesman said the food drive, the nation’s largest one-day food drive — is critical at this time of year. Scott Mahe said food banks and pantries typically receive the majority of their donations from Thanksgiving through Christmas.

“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,” he said.

There are an estimated 49 million Americans who aren’t sure where their next meal is coming from, 16 million or more of them children and nearly five million seniors.

He said those who wish to can also drop off food donations at their local Post Office.