School will be out soon, and the need for food assistance will grow in Lehigh Acres.
So the timing is right for the nation’s largest single-day food drive, “Stamp Out Hunger,” set for this coming Saturday.
This is the one day when letter carriers collect nonperishable food that has been left by mailboxes.
Currently, In Lee County, 14.8 percent of adults and 26.3 percent of children don’t always know where their next meal is coming from.
The food drive’s timing is crucial. Food banks and pantries often receive the majority of their donations during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons. 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.
Just leave a nonperishable food donation in a bag by the mailbox on Saturday, and the letter carrier will do the rest.
Food collected in Lehigh Acres will be distributed by the Lehigh Community Services.
“The letter carriers make it easy to donate, and, as a result, thousands of our neighbors in need receive food,’’ said Al Brislain, president and CEO of the Harry Chapin Food Bank.
“Letter carriers are committed to ensuring that all Americans, especially children, do not go hungry,” said Kitty Swanson, customer relations coordinator for postal service.
Sciascia agreed the need is great and the time is right.
“There’s way too many unemployed and way too many hungry, this is a way to give it a shot in the arm,’’ he said.
Pitch in for letter carriers’ drive
• What: Letter carriers in Lee County are gearing up for the 22nd Stamp Out Hunger annual national letter carrier food drive, the one day when letter carriers collect nonperishable food left by mailboxes.
• When: Saturday
• Items to donate: Virtually any kind of food may be donated in unopened, non-breakable containers. Items especially in need are peanut butter, tuna, rice, beans, and canned meats, fruits, vegetables and soups.
• To volunteer: Volunteers are needed to assist letter carriers with their pickups on Saturday. Contact Kitty Swanson at 573-9638. Volunteers are also needed to assist with food sorting on Saturday. Call LCS at (239) 369-5818