WHATCOM — The annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive of the National Association of Letter Carriers, the nation’s largest one-day food collection event, is this Saturday, May 13.
U.S. Postal Service customers are asked to put out bags of non-perishable food for those in need.
This is the 25th year of the event, in which the USPS letter carriers of Everson, Ferndale and Lynden are participating. The beneficiaries of their collection are the Nooksack Valley Food Bank, Ferndale Food Bank and Project Hope Food Bank of Lynden.
Just set out your non-perishable food donation well before your letter carrier’s normal pick-up time — the earlier, the better. He or she will be delivering and collecting mail as usual, on top of collecting food donations, so note that your pickup time could be slightly later than normal. Your letter carrier might also have helpers. A good rule of thumb is to have the bags of food at your mailbox by 9 a.m.
A bag for donations may be left at your house this week.
The top requested non-perishable food items are: cereal, pasta, pasta sauce or spaghetti sauce, rice, canned fruits and vegetables, canned meals (such as soups, chili and pasta), 100 percent juice, peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, canned protein (tuna, chicken and turkey), beans (canned or dry). You also can donate healthy, low-sodium, low-sugar items such as beans, oatmeal and other whole grains, and canola or olive oil.
Please do not donate frozen food, homemade food or home-canned items. Please do not donate items that have expired or are in glass containers.
