The Cupertino Courier
News
Donations dwindle in annual food drive
By MARY GOTTSCHALK
The annual Letter Carriers Food Drive was hit hard with donor fatigue.
The numbers are "really, really down," says Lynn Crocker, communications manager for Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, which benefited from the May 13 drive.
Collections by letter carriers of food left at mailboxes this year totaled 301,849 pounds.
That is a drop of more than 100,000 pounds. In 2005, carriers collected 412,000 pounds.
In the Cupertino area, donations for 2006 were just 8,179 pounds, down from 12,176 in 2005.
Tony Cortese, president of Branch 193 of the National Association of Letter Carriers, says members are disappointed.
"I don't know if it's people's mood. It could be burnout with Hurricane Katrina or the price of gas or the illegal immigration issue," Cortese says. "We had good publicity, but the food wasn't there to pick up."
Crocker says it's particularly disappointing as Second Harvest relies on that drive for its summer nutritional program.
Demand increases each summer as students who receive free meals and snacks during the school year are out for the summer, Crocker says.
"We're asking people to make cash donations via our website or by calling our donor hotline at 866.234.3663," she says.
"We will use that cash to purchase food we didn't receive in the drive for our summer nutrition program."
The drop in donations hits Second Harvest at a vulnerable time.
Rising fuel costs are already affecting the nonprofit agency that serves 167,200 individuals each year, almost 60 percent of them families with dependent children.
Second Harvest estimates fuel costs for this year will rise $30,000 from two years ago when it was $60,000.
The agency is also in the midst of staff changes.
David Sandretto, executive director since 1998, is stepping down in October. Board president Keith Flagler has taken over day-to-day operations while the search for Sandretto's replacement takes place.
For additional information on Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, visit www.2ndharvest.net or call 408.266.8866.
