This stamp is provided by your letter carrier

A remarkable event will take place Saturday, and while it will happen right in front of you, it will be so efficient, so coordinated, so convenient that you may not even realize its impact. Through the efforts of the 300,000 members of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) - that includes your mailman or mailwoman - millions of pounds of food will be transported from residential mailboxes to local food pantries.

Before you stop reading because you've realized that I'm talking about an annual event that you already know about, hear this: every contact that I've had with a pantry representative in our area over the past month has included a report of empty shelves and vastly multiplied demand. One provider reported spending $500 every three days to keep shelves stocked. We're all feeling the pinch at the grocery check out as well as the gas pump. Families that were barely getting by are losing ground quickly.

Here's the first thing you can do: Fill a bag, box or carton with non-perishable food and set it beside your mailbox by 9 a.m. Saturday morning. If you can also donate some time, you can lend a hand with the food drive logistics. Adult drivers are needed to assist the carriers with food pick up. After all, the carriers do have to deliver the mail on Saturday and they can only carry so much in their trucks. If you are willing to help with pick up, arrive at the Raible Avenue post office by 9 a.m. You will be given a route map and identification for your vehicle. Volunteers will also be needed to help unload vehicles and fill bins at the post office between the hours of 11 - 5 p.m. Two-hour shifts are recommended. I can attest that this is a great family activity.

Since 1994, United Way has been a proud partner with the NALC/AFL-CIO on this event. But the backbone for success is the real commitment of the letter carriers. Today, few of us know our mail carriers since most of them are either always in the vehicle or arrive during the day when everyone is away, so I want to take this opportunity to thank them for their dedication and hard work to make this a successful event. Additional support is provide by the U.S. Postal Service, Campbell Soup Company, Valpak marketing firm, America's Second Harvest and "Family Circus" cartoonist Bil Keane. Local support is also provided by Marsh super markets.

Last year, more than 70.7 million pounds of food was collected in more than 10,000 communities in the United States. In Madison County, the total exceeded 60,000 pounds of food. Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana coordinates the drive, assuring that all donations remain in the counties where they are collected.

This is the 16th year for the event which is both massive and simple. It is always held the second Saturday in May; it is promoted via flyers, media (and in Anderson with a street banner across 8th Street); it utilizes existing networks; and it comes at a time when food pantry donations are typically down. All of these things lead to a successful event, but ultimately the success depends on the individuals who participate. That's you and me, folks. Please, and thank you!