Volunteers Needed For May 12 Letter Carriers’ Food Drive

By Kaaren Valenta

Robert Frangione may be on crutches this year, but that isn’t going to prevent him coordinating the annual letter carriers’ food drive that will take place on Saturday, May 12.

“We’ve got it well organized,” he said. “At this point what we really need are volunteers. Some of the volunteers will help pick up food at mailboxes along the routes, and others who don’t want to drive will sort the food that is brought back to the post office.”

“I’ve had three casts on my foot after injuring my Achilles tendon,” Mr Frangione said as he maneuvered his way through the large bins in the sorting area of the post office on Commerce Road. “In a couple of weeks I hope to be in a walking cast. I got hurt while working out at a gym, trying to build myself up after a back injury.”

That back injury convinced him of the need for food pantries. He had been organizing the food drive for three years and had been working at the post office for 15, when he found himself unable to work because of the pain from herniated disks. Because of a paperwork problem, he didn’t receive a paycheck for 16 weeks. Although the snafu was finally resolved by the staff of Congressman James Maloney, Mr Frangione said his family was briefly forced to use the food pantry.

“I understand now how really important it is for everyone,” Mr Frangione said at the time.

On Saturday, May 12, members of the National Association of Letter Carriers will sponsor their ninth national food drive. The drive is conducted at a time when many food banks begin to see the depletion of the food supplies conducted during the holidays.

All residents are being asked to place non-perishable food items (no glass containers) next to their mailboxes by 9 am on May 12. The food will be picked up by letter carriers and volunteers for delivery to the Salvation Army food pantry at Town Hall South. The FAITH food pantry at St John’s Episcopal Church in Sandy Hook recently was restocked by donations from St Rose Church.

Personal care items such as shampoo, detergent, toothpaste, and disposable diapers also are needed.

The letter carriers’ food drive is the largest one-day collection of food in the nation. Volunteers are needed to collect the food. Local residents, members of churches, food pantry volunteers, and high school students are among those who have helped in previous years.    

Mr Frangione said the volunteer effort is great to see. “It’s getting better each year,” he said.

As chairman of the effort, Mr Frangione organizes routes for the volunteers and works with local businesses for donations of food certificates for perishable items. He said Dunkin Donuts is providing coffee and doughnuts. My Place, the Pizza Palace, and the Italian Pavilion will be supplying pizzas for the volunteers.

Bins for food collection also have been placed in various locations around town, including Edmond Town Hall and the post office.

Volunteers will begin working about 9 am on May 12. About 10 am, after maps of routes are passed out, they will leave the post office to collect the food so the carriers don’t have to take it all in their trucks. Volunteers also work at the Commerce Road Post Office between 1 and 6 pm to sort and organize the canned goods for delivery to the food pantry to distribute as needed. The cartons will be loaded onto a truck supplied by the town’s public works department for delivery to the food pantry.

To volunteer, call Mr Frangione at 426-4271 this weekend, or the town’s Social Services Department at 270-4330.