NILES - The Niles Post Office will be among the area post offices taking part in the annual National Association of Letter Carriers' food drive on Saturday.
Residents are asked to place nonperishable food donations in bags and place them by the mailbox as part of the "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive campaign.
Jean Williams, director of Niles Community Services, said all food donated and collected in the Niles Post Office route areas will stay local. She said the number of families needing assistance has increased by 30 percent with 400 families a month getting help at Niles Community Services.
Article Photos
The Niles Times / Bob Coupland
The Niles Post Office will be among the area post offices to participate in the National Associaton of Letter Carriers’ annual ‘‘Stamp Out Hunger’’ food drive campaign being held on Saturday. Residents are being asked to place non-perishable food items in bags by their mailbox so letter carriers can collect them on their routes. The items will help local families and be taken to Niles Community Services. From left are Jean Williams, director of Niles Community Services, Mike Flarey, shop steward with Branch 355, and Chuck Mulidore, acting post master.
Williams said mail carriers throughout the day on Saturday will bring the donations to Niles Community Services, where Key Club students will help with sorting.
"We try to make this a real social event with the letter carriers and volunteers all working together. We appreciate all the work done by the postal employees and all the volunteers,'' she said.
Chuck Mulidore, acting postmaster at the Niles Post Office, said the postal employees are always willing to take part in such an event to help the local community.
Williams said the employees stop throughout the day to bring items to Niles Community Services.
Thousands of United States postal employees are scheduled to participate in the national event, which is marking its 18th year.
The annual event is the largest one-day food drive in the nation, according to event organizers with the USPS. The effort feeds families in all 50 states. Postcards have been sent to homes to remind people of the drive.