Help Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger

This Saturday, more than 1,500 branches of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) from every state, involving more than 10,000 cities and towns, will have more than 230,000 letter carriers collect nonperishable goods from people’s mailboxes.

Letter carriers in Farmington and Farmington Hills will join this effort. Local coordinator Emory Johnson said this is the Farmington area's 19th year of participation.

"Eighty-five percent of our food goes to Gleaners, and they disburse it to needy families," he said. "Last year, (the Indoplex post office) collected 17,000 pounds of food, so this year, we're hoping to get that much and more."

Johnson said the combined Farmington/Farmington Hills facilities collected 27,000 pounds last year.

Residents can put bags of food out near their mailboxes for their carriers – even those who walk their routes. Johnson said that when he had a walking route, "I would take the food to the curb line, and when I got to my truck, I would drive along and pick it all up. We also have a gentleman driving around the city to pick up."

Johnson is amazed that despite the local drive's long history, "There's still a lot of people who say, 'What is the food drive?' I'm hoping for next year, they'll see this and realize this is an every-year thing," he said. "There's always going to be somebody who needs it."

Along with Gleaners, the food drive will benefit the nonprofit groups Forgotten Harvest and Food Gatherers.