HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — The Food Bank of North Alabama is teaming up with the U.S. Postal Service and the National Association of Letter Carriers to fight food insecurity in North Alabama.
Mail carriers in Huntsville, Madison, Decatur, Cullman, Hartselle, Eva, Faulkville, Cullman and Athens will pick up food donations Saturday and deliver them to the Food Bank of North Alabama. If you would like to participate, fill a grocery bag with canned goods and other non-perishable foods and put it next to your mailbox.
“Our volunteers will go through everything that’s donated to make sure it meets our food safety standards,” said Joshua Matthews, the Food Bank of North Alabama’s Chief Operations Officer. “It’s going to be nutritious and be a good meal for somebody right here in north Alabama.”
During last year’s drive, the food bank collected more than 75,000 pounds of food. As the cost of food increases, Matthews said the donations will play an important role in helping people.
“This food drive comes at a really great time of year for the food bank,” Matthews said. “It’s right before school gets out. We know that a lot of families rely on free and reduced lunch at school, and so oftentimes parents are left to figure out where those meals are going to come from, that kids are getting in school.”
Make sure to set out donations before your mail carrier typically arrives.
“Some of our most needed items right now are definitely canned proteins, canned vegetables, peanut butter and other shelf-stable items like that,” Matthews said. “We do ask that folks refrain from donating home-canned items just because we can’t verify the food safety on those ingredients and things like that for folks that may have allergens.”
If you are unable to donate food on Saturday but still want to help out, you can always donate online.
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