By Anne Murray, Postmaster Ft Myers/Cape Coral

More than 350 Fort Myers and Cape Coral letter carriers will be collecting donated food during their regular mail delivery on Saturday, May 9. They will be participating in the 17th annual National Letter Carrier Association’s “Stamp Out Hunger” food collection. This is the nation’s largest annual one-day food drive.
Postal customers are asked to leave nonperishable food by their mailboxes prior to mail delivery that day. Publix Supermarkets is providing plastic bags for this purpose; they will placed in mailboxes several daybefore May 9. Campbell Soup Company has provided postal cards which customers receive in the week preceding the food drive.
Customers who are not able to participate on May 9 are encouraged to drop off their food items at any post office; the items will become part of the food drive on May 9. All food collected will stay in Lee County and will be delivered to the Harry Chapin Food Bank for further distribution to its 167 participating agencies.
The need for food items has increased tremendously in the past year. Each of the non-profit agencies is seeing a 30 to 70 percent increase in need over last year from their clients. The Harry Chapin Food Bank is looking for 300,000 pounds of food to be donated on May 9.
The letter carriers are in need of volunteers to assist them in collecting the food. Anyone willing to assist on various mail routes are asked to contact Christy Grayson at 573-9638. Please be aware, that the USPS does have a footwear policy. Please wear only fully enclosed shoes while on Postal premises.
Virtually any kind of non perishable item may be donated in nonbreakable containers. Items especially in need are peanut butter, tuna, rice, beans, and canned meats, fruits, vegetables, and soups. The Harry Chapin Food Bank is now also accepting pet food.