The Food Drive That Comes to You
Posted on: Friday, 9 May 2008, 00:00 CDT
By Sara Steffens, Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif.
May 8--By Sara Steffens
Helping the hungry will be as easy as visiting your mailbox Saturday.
Mail carriers will pick up boxes and cans of donated food on their regular routes, creating the nation's largest one-day food drive.
East Bay food banks rely on the annual door-to-door collection to help them through the summer months, when holiday donations dwindle and many children miss out on free school meals.
This year's drive is especially significant, anti-hunger agencies say, as they struggle to deal with rising food and fuel costs, decreased federal commodities and increased demand.
"What we're hearing these days is that the high cost of food and fuel is just out of reach for so many people," said Judyth Collin, spokeswoman for the Alameda County Community Food Bank. "We're seeing a big increase in the number of people who are calling for the very first time."
Across the nation, food banks estimate that their clientele has grown 15 to 20 percent over the past year, according to a survey released this month by America's Second Harvest, a national food bank network.
As a result, most agencies -- 84 percent -- said they been forced to choose between turning people away or reducing the amount or type of food they distribute.
In Alameda County, the food bank's emergency hot line now averages 1,650 calls a month, or about 80 per day. Calls in April were 36 percent higher than during April
2007.
"Occasionally we'll hear stories that someone is losing their house, or someone is losing their job," Collin said.
Hunger is also on the rise in Contra Costa County, said Lisa Sherrill, spokeswoman for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano.
In Pittsburg, a food pantry had to stay open an extra half-hour this week to serve everyone who lined up for food, she said. "We're just anticipating that this summer there's going to be a real increase in need."
The items most sought include iron-rich cereal, peanut butter, canned vegetables and protein, such as canned tuna, Sherrill said.
"If everybody gave one can, it would make a huge difference," Sherrill said. "People forget that hunger is a year-round issue, it's not just during the holidays. So we really do need food now."
Last year's mail carrier drive brought in 102,000 pounds of food in Alameda County and 200,000 pounds in Contra Costa and Solano counties.
"Usually we fill two Safeway trailers in one day," said Anthony Daniels, postmaster for Concord/Pleasant Hill.
"It's a great opportunity for the postal service and the community to come together for one great cause -- to ensure that everyone has something to eat."
Sara Steffens covers poverty and social services. Reach her at 925-943-8048 or ssteffens@bayareanewsgroup.com.
How to Help To donate to the annual mail carrier food drive, simply leave a bag of canned or boxed food alongside your mailbox Saturday. Most East Bay post offices also will offer collection barrels. For details, visit www.helpstampouthunger.com. For emergency food help, call toll-free 800-870-FOOD.
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Copyright (c) 2008, Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif.
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Source: Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.)
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