Community Responds To Letter Carrier Food Drive

Fredericktown and Madison County residents have  another thing to be very proud of. The U.S Postal Service Letter Carrier Food Drive for 2011, known as “Help Stamp Out Hunger,” collected 5,760 pounds of food, which is being distributed to three local area food pantries and the Madison County Family Services department. The three food pantries are The Madison County Food Pantry, Harvest of Hope and Faith Family Worship Center.

According to the records kept by Fredericktown Postmaster Mark Montgomery, the 2011 food drive was the most food collected since 2005, when he took over as Postmaster. The 2005 total was 1862 pounds. Montgomery said additional collections were still expected,  which would bring the total even higher.

Representatives of the food pantries were on hand to try and sort out the four steel cages and miscellaneous tubs and boxes of food.

Letter carriers, rural route carriers, clerks and others working at the Fredericktown post office had a hand in the efforts. Montgomery said, after their routes were done, a few rural carriers remained and helped me weigh the food.

The post office was very grateful for the wonderful response and wanted to share their appreciation for the best collection drive they’ve had in years.

Food pantry managers have said in recent months, they have seen a sharp increase in the number of needy families in this economy.