LETTER: Local food drive helps feed hungry

To the Editor:

The Five Loaves Food and Clothing Center sends a huge thank you to the mail carriers and residents of the New Richmond School District for participating in the May 12 Letter Carrier’s National “Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive.

Mail carriers left donation bags and information at residences and a few days later they picked up donations left by you – the residents. These donations required additional lifting by mail carriers on Saturday. Donations to Five Loaves Food Pantry totaled 3,346 pounds.

This year was the 20th annual National Association of Letter Carrier’s Food Drive, billed as the largest one day food drive in the nation. The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is a nationwide effort to provide food to local food banks and pantries that would otherwise have depleted stocks during the summer months. Summers are a hardship to families whose children are no longer receiving the free or reduced priced school breakfast and lunch program. Food pantries notice an increase in families with children over the summer months.

Five Loaves Food Shelf in New Richmond is located at 421 S. Green Ave., the former middle school. To stop in, use the northwest entrance, door #9, the former band room. A utility or phone bill is needed on the first visit to the pantry to verify address. The food shelf is open Monday and Tuesday evenings, 5-7 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday mornings, 10 a.m.-noon and Wednesday afternoons, 2-4 p.m. For more information or to volunteer call 715-246-7491.

Once again, thank you mail carriers and residents. Together we can and do make a difference!

Sarah Johnson

Chairperson

Five Loaves Food and Clothing Center

New Richmond

Tags: letters to the editor, opinion