Food Drive Had Great Donors

Hawaii Kai post office letter carriers, friends and relatives prepare to load up donations May 12 from their ‘Stamp Out Hunger’ food drive. They collected 26,000 pounds of food from local patrons that day. Photo from Rudy Salazar.

East Oahu postal patrons did a good deed this spring when partnering with the Hawaii Kai post office on its second annual “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive.

“Our station collected 26,000 pounds of food from our patrons,” said letter carrier Rudy Salazar, who coordinated the May 12 drive that sent employees out on their routes to distribute mail and pick up donations at the same time. “Our patrons donated quality high-protein foods, which make complete meals for families in need.

“Our food drive could not be so successful without the total support and participation of so many patrons, postal employees, friends and families. We say mahalo for another great year!”

May 12 was the designated date nationwide for the postal service food drive, which collected 70.2 million pounds of nonperishable goods last year. Hawaii’s contribution in 2011 was 435,000 for island food pantries – at a time of year when holiday donations already have been used up.