Stamp Out Hunger


"The letter carriers don't get any overtime, they're just doing it to help other people." NALC Branch 46 Food Drive Coordinator Vincent Siniscalchi

By Katelyn Gendron

Reminder Assistant Editor

Keeping the shelves stocked at a food pantry in 2008 is no easy task. Rising fuel and food prices have forced many of these institutions to cut back their hours, staff and supplies. Community donations have also waned a $15 food donation equating 12 canned goods, now yields only five.

In an interview with Reminder Publications, Chris Cargile, executive director of the Community Survival Center in Indian Orchard, noted that while food donations continue to come in "food pantries survive from one huge event to the other such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. Unfortunately, those events only come twice a year and people eat 12 months out of the year."

In an effort to offset diminishing donations during the spring and summer months, the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) will be hosting their 16th Annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on May 10.

Upon delivery of the daily mail, letter carriers in over 10,000 communities nationwide will also pick up food placed beside mailboxes for distribution to local food pantries.

The NALC Western Massachusetts Branch 46 will be collecting food donations on behalf of 24 local food pantries. Donations from residents living in Agawam, Chicopee, East Longmeadow, Granby, Hampden, Holyoke, Longmeadow, Ludlow, South Hadley, Southwick, Springfield, West Springfield, Westfield and Wilbraham will be providing food to those in their own communities.

Last year 235,704 pounds of food were donated to pantries in Western Massachusetts and 70.7 million pounds were donated throughout the 1,500 participating NALC branches.

"It's a hard day for the carriers but they feel really good afterward when they see the food collected on the docks ready to be distributed to the pantries," Vincent Siniscalchi, NALC Branch 46 Food Drive Coordinator, said. "The letter carriers don't get any overtime they're just doing it to help other people."

Wilbraham Postmaster Orlando Braz said many letter carriers who would have that day off choose to volunteer their time to help collect and sort food.

"I'm a regular letter carrier in the north end of Springfield . I deliver in some of the poorest neighborhoods and I see people who are hungry. It's sad," Siniscalchi explained of his eagerness to participate in the food drive.

Cargile noted that last year's Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive provided 26,000 pounds of food for the Community Survival Center. She explained that the pantry distributes approximately 12,000 pounds of food to residents each month.

Candy Boucher, executive director of the Parish Cupboard in West Springfield noted that donations received from last year's food drive provided a much-needed three-month supply of food. She added, however, that about one third of the donations had to be thrown away because they were expired.

"Poor people can't eat expired food," Boucher said. "We don't distribute it."

Cargile noted that if it were not for the NALC Food Drive the Community Survival Center would be forced to spend thousands of dollars to keep the food pantry operational. She explained that due to rising costs of living the center has witnessed a 20 percent increase in food requests, of which 48 percent are first time visitors.

"We found that people this year are really hurting [and in need of assistance]," Ron DeMatteo, food coordinator for the Bethany Assembly of God Food Pantry in Agawam, said. He added that the number of families seeking assistance from the pantry has increased from 50 to 125 per month over the past several years.

DeMatteo explained that due to the increasing need the pantry is forced to purchase food every week.

East Longmeadow Postmaster Mark Edstrom said the goal is to beat last year's total donations because of the increased need for food assistance. "People want to do good and it's an easy way to give back," he said.

Cargile agreed, adding, "Everyone benefits [from the NALC Food Drive]. It's easy. You don't have to leave your house just put a bag of food by your mailbox and we'll handle the rest."

For more information about the NALC Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive go to www.nalc.org or contact the NALC Western Massachusetts Branch 46 at 250-9016.

Reminder Assistant Editor Courtney Llewellyn contributed to this article.