Both food and volunteers are needed for a successful National Letter Carrier Food Drive on Saturday, May 8. The 18th annual “Stamp Out Hunger” drive has become the largest one-day food drive in the country. Food collected in Lee County goes to the Harry Chapin Food Bank; in Collier County, food goes to Collier Harvest.

In 2009, Lee County customers donated over 405,000 pounds of food for the Harry Chapin Food Bank. This year, the goal is 500,000 pounds. The food will be distributed at no cost to the food bank’s 170 participating agencies.

Postal customers are asked to place non-perishable food in unbreakable containers next to their mailbox before their letter carrier delivers mail on May 8. The carrier and/or volunteers will do all the rest. The food is taken back to a postal station, sorted, and delivered to the food banks.

Snowbirds departing prior to May 8 are encouraged to drop off their non-perishable foods at any post office; the food will be held for the May 8 food drive.

Those interested in volunteering for the food banks should contact Marta Hodson (Lee County) at 239-334-7007, extension 32, or Collier Harvest at 239-455-3663. Those who can assist the Postal Service should contact Debra Mitchell, 239-573-9638 in Lee County or Jesse Costin in Collier County, 239-537-0020.