Donate to Soup Kitchen today

By Debbie Gardner

PRIME Editor

CHICOPEE The letter carriers and counter staff at Chicopee's two Post Offices are asking for the public's help to ensure everyone in the city has enough to eat this Thanksgiving.

Acting Postmaster Carissa Surprise told The Herald that both the Main Street and Chicopee Center Post Office branches will be collecting food for Lorraine's Soup Kitchen during regular office hours through Nov. 17.

"The need is always great . as fast as it comes in it goes out," Lorraine Houle, director of Lorraine's Soup Kitchen said on Nov. 8. "I've already had 35 people this morning, and I'm open another hour."

Surprise said donations can be given to the postal workers behind the counter at the Main Street Post Office from 8 a.m to 6 p.m. through Nov. 16 and from 8 a.m. to noon on Nov. 17.

People can also bring donations to the Chicopee Center Post Office between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. through Nov. 16.

"We're looking for canned or dried macaroni and cheese, soups, cereals, pasta, peanutbutter and other non-perishable foods," Surprise said. "But please avoid bringing items in glass jars because of breakage."

Surprise said Chicopee letter carriers heard that the shelves at the Soup Kitchen were nearly empty during delivery rounds in late October. Their observations led to a discussion of the situation at a recent dinner meeting of the local chapter of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC).

Early last week, Dave Lamontagna, secretary for the local chapter of the NALC, approached Surprise with the idea of hosting a food drive for the Soup Kitchen in the two Chicopee Post Offices.

"We're looking to [collect] as many staples as we can," Surprise said. "It was short notice when the carriers brought [the need] to my attention. We have no set goals. As much as we can collect would be great."