Post Office food drive is Saturday
A Letter from
Sarah Hughes

I have traveled the globe to compete. I have realized my dream to win an Olympic gold medal. And, along the way, I have met many of my heroes. But I did not need to travel the world to meet all of my heroes because many of them live in my own neighborhood, like my letter carrier.

On Sat., May 10, you can become a hero yourself by simply leaving a sturdy bag of non-perishable food items, such as canned soup, canned pasta or cereal, next to your mailbox before your letter carrier arrives. Your letter carrier will do the rest, collecting and delivering your donation to a food bank or pantry that serves your own community.

It’s all part of the National Association of Letter Carriers’ (AFL-CIO) and United States Postal Service’s 11th annual food drive effort to help Stamp Out Hunger!. On May 10, the nation’s 240,000 letter carriers will collect non-perishable food items to benefit local food banks and pantries across the country in America’s largest single-day food drive.

This effort is important because every day millions of Americans-many of them children-rely on food assistance programs to provide needed nourishment. A growing number of them are from working families who have to make tough decisions between shelter, medical needs, clothing and food on a daily basis.

Last year, with donations from millions of generous Americans, letter carriers delivered more than 60 million pounds of food to help those in need. Again this year, Campbell Soup Company is kicking off the drive with a donation of 1 million pounds of food. I hope the letter carriers can count on your help, too.

If you have any questions about the Stamp Out Hunger! drive, just ask your letter carrier or contact your post office.

Please take a moment to make a difference on May 10 and help needy children and families in your own community.

Hughes was the 2002 Winter Olympics Gold Medal Winner in figure skating. This story was provided by the North American Precis Syndicate.