National Letter Carriers: Stamp Out Hunger

National Association of Letter Carriers – STAMP OUT HUNGER – Food Drive
Saturday, May 9^th, 2015.  Their motto: Fill A Bag. Feed Families.
 
LaSalle, Peru, Oglesby Letter Carrier’s (also the unionized clerks and some nonunion postmasters) participate to help the Illinois Valley Food Pantry. 
 
Residents who have their mail delivered to their homes are asked to leave non-perishable food (no glass) on their porches or near their mailboxes.  Those that have post office boxes may drop off donations at the General Mail Facility on Airport Road (Chartres St.) in LaSalle.  Food is weighed first on Maze Lumber’s scales before coming to the pantry where volunteers sort and put away everything.  We have a core of dedicated food pantry volunteers that do a great job.  They are the backbone of the pantry. 
 
The food drive typically brings in 15,000 pounds of food.  This is a very important one day a year event.  Food Pantries donations are usually low during the summer months. Children are not in school so they don’t receive free breakfast and lunch.  Families needs increase.  This food drive helps keep our shelves full until the kids go back to school.
 
About our pantry:  We serve 725 families per month (2,000 individuals).  Food challenged people living in 9 towns receive free food orders (LaSalle, Peru, Oglesby, Utica, Tonica, Lostant, Cedar Point, Leonore, Lowell.)  We also distribute food orders for Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
 
Items we always need:  cereal, mac & cheese, canned fruit, soup, boxed potatoes, peanut butter, canned vegetables, tuna fish, juice, baby food & diapers