May 6, 2007 By Josh Krysak 2 min read

Many local letter carriers will be picking up more than just mail next week when they join forces to help provide food for hungry children by collecting canned goods at homes across the district. The National Association of Letter Carriers, Branch 520, in Uniontown announced its annual Letter Carriers Food Drive will be held Saturday, May 12.

Karen Kapel, who coordinates the event each year, said the drive is in its 15th year and provides food to replenish area food banks.

Letter carriers in Brownsville, California, Carmichaels, Connellsville, Dunbar, Fairchance, Masontown and Uniontown will participate in the drive.

Kapel said the drive is the nation’s largest one-day food drive, with more than 70 million pounds of food collected last year across the country.

Kapel said area donations will go to replenish food banks and pantries in Fayette County.

Kapel said all canned goods, including vegetables, fruits, soups and juices, are encouraged as donations as well as other items such as peanut butter.

Area residents who want to contribute should leave their canned goods for donation in or near their mailbox on May 12 and their letter carrier will pick up the food when they deliver the mail.

Additionally, canned goods will be accepted at local post offices across the district.

Last year, donations across the county dropped from 2005 totals, with 31,521 pounds of food donated. In 2005 more than 37,000 pounds of canned food was collected.