By: Nick D’Amore
Letter carriers locally and nationally will be helping stock local food pantries this weekend.
As part of a nationwide effort sponsored by the United States Postal Service, the National Association of Letter Carriers, Priority Mail, the United Way, Campbell Soup and Saturn Car Co., local residents are being asked to leave nonperishable food items outside on Saturday for their mail carriers to pick up.
Locally, the Kendall Park Post Office will be participating in the event, donating the food to the township food pantry, as well as the Franklin Park food pantry, said Kendall Park Post Office steward Darryle Whitaker.
"All the food we pick up in Franklin Park will go to their food pantry," he said.
He said the Dayton and Monmouth Junction post offices will not be participating because they have rural letter carriers. The drive is run by city letter carriers, he said.
Mr. Whitaker said the post office is looking for nonperishable and canned goods, such as soup, cereals and pasta.
"We don’t turn down anything," he said.
He the national letter carrier food drive is over 10 years old and that Kendall Park has been participating for five years.
"We gather food the Saturday before Mother’s Day to replenish the food banks," he said.
LouAnne Wolf, the township’s welfare director, said the food pantry is in need of many food items, but is well-stocked for pasta and soup, but needs canned meats, such as chili, Spaghetti-O’s and beef stew, as well as cereal and other breakfast foods, Parmalat, kids’ snacks, tomato or pasta sauce, beverages and canned fruit.
"This will be a great help," she said of the letter carrier food drive.
She said this year, the pantry has been busier than in years past.
Ms. Wolf said the pantry will be well-staffed when it comes time to stock the food.
"I think we will be OK. We have Jean Thompson, a woman she trained and two people that help out during the winter holidays," she said.
"It should all be stocked away by the end of the week. We have Public Works to pick up the food Monday morning," said Ms. Wolf.
To make donations to the food pantry, contact Ms. Wolf at (732) 329-4000, ext. 677 or go to the Welfare Department in the Senior Center on Route 522. The office is open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The food pantry is open is open Tuesdays 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and Thursdays 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
