Saturday, May 11 will mark the 27th annual National Association of Letter Carriers ‘Stamp Out Hunger’ Food Drive. This is an event that takes place across the country, with approximately 230,000 letter carriers nationwide taking part.

LaGrange will be taking part as well, and all donated food will be provided to LaGrange Personal Aide, a nonprofit located on Bull Street that provides to residents of the West-Central Georgia area during times of distress, illness or emergency.

The event always falls on the second Saturday in May, during on Mother’s Day weekend. Specifically, the non-perishable foods most sought after 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) and beans (canned or dry). Healthy, low-sodium, low-sugar items such as beans, oatmeal and other whole grains, and canola or olive oil are also preferred.

Gesselle Colon has worked for the USPS for 12 years, and has been in LaGrange since August of 2018.

She has taken part in the annual NALC food drive each year she has worked for the USPS and is serving as the volunteer coordinator for LaGrange’s food drive.

“When the mail comes, we will make sure we will pick up the food when we deliver the mail,” Colon said. “We get volunteers who come and meet the mail trucks throughout the day and bring the food back to the post office.”

Before the event takes place, postal workers leave notes for those addresses they serve the week before, alerting everyone the food drive is upcoming and leave bags beside mailboxes as well.

“We prepare for the event. We let our customers know,” Colon said. “We leave bags by their mailboxes and leave letters letting them know we are going to be collecting food this Saturday.”

If you have any questions related to Saturday’s food drive, please call the LaGrange post office at (706) 883-7126.