Rose Garden Resident

News

Letter carriers plan to collect 'tons' of donations during annual food drive

By Mary Gottschalk

Letter carriers in the Rose Garden neighborhood are hoping to pick up more than they deliver on May 13.

The second Saturday in May is the date for the annual Letter Carriers Food Drive, the nation's largest one-day food drive.

Participating is simple, says Lynn Crocker, director of communications for Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara & San Mateo Counties, which benefits from the drive.

"Any resident can set out a bag of groceries by their mailbox. They don't need to take it anywhere," Crocker says.

"The postal carriers are doing their regular route but also picking up food. It's quite a bit of work for them and extra weight. We do appreciate their work."

Tony Cortese, president of Branch 193 of the National Association of Letter Carriers, says members are hoping to top the 177,000 pounds of food they collected in 2004 and 2005. Branch 193 includes some 1,400 members working in San Jose, Campbell, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Morgan Hill, Gilroy and Milpitas.

Donations in the Rose Garden area have increased each year. In 2003, local carriers collected 6,140 pounds, in 2004 it was 7,546 pounds and in 2005 it was 9,303 pounds.

"We're looking for this being a big food- drive year," Cortese says. "We think people realize there are a lot less fortunate people than them. With what they've seen of the different disasters this last year, I think people will be generous."

As in past years, Cortese says, volunteers from the Teamsters Union will drive trucks moving the collected food from the various post offices to Second Harvest locations.

Additionally, Local 270 of the Laborers Union donates advertising.

The timing of the food drive is important, Cortese and Crocker say.

"This time of year many people don't think of food drives, but a lot of people are hurting financially now. It's tough out there," Cortese says.

Crocker concurs.

"This comes at a really good time of year," she says. "We've used most of the food and money we collected during our holiday food drive, so we need to collect this additional food to get through the summer months.

While all donations are welcome, Crocker says what's needed the most are high-protein items such as canned tuna and canned meats, chili or stew, peanut butter, rice, dried beans, powdered milk, pasta and 100-percent fruit juices. For children, low-sugar cereals are always needed.

Items with pop-top lids are set aside for homeless clients who don't have access to kitchen facilities.

The only food items not accepted are those that are perishable or in glass containers because there is a good chance of breakage.