Letter carriers in the Fargo-Moorhead area will collect more than the mail Saturday, as they embark on their annual food drive to aid local pantries.
Residents in Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo can leave a bag of non-perishable food items next to their mailbox for collection by letter carriers and volunteers as part of the 18th annual letter carriers' food drive.
Donations will be dispersed to area food pantries based on location. Moorhead donations will go to the Dorothy Day House; donations in north Fargo and West Fargo will go to the emergency food pantry; and donations in south Fargo will benefit the Great Plains Food Bank.
During last year's drive, area letter carriers collected more than 54,200 pounds of food. Food drive coordinator Jeff Borgrud said organizers hope to gather at least that much again this Saturday.
"Considering how tough a year it was for the community last year with the flood and everything that happened with the falling economy, we're hoping just to do better than last year," Borgrud said.
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Area food pantries seek a variety of nonperishable food items, including items for children and babies, which tend to run out quickly, Borgrud said.
One in 11 people in the Cass-Clay community seeks help from local food programs, said Marcia Paulson of the Great Plains Food Bank.
"When children are going to school without breakfast, or families are going to work having skipped supper the night before, or seniors have to choose between medicine or food - it's just not right," Paulson said. "We know the food drive makes an incredible impact."
Saturday's efforts are part of the annual nationwide food drive sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers. The group expects this year to surpass 1 billion total pounds of food collected in the drive's 18-year history.
If you go
- What: 18th annual letter carriers' food drive
- When: Saturday
- Where: Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo
- Info: Residents can place a bag of nonperishable food items next to their mailboxes Saturday, and letter carriers and volunteers will pick up the donations and disperse them to local food pantries.
For more details about the drive, go to www.nalc.org/commun/foodrive
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Readers can reach Forum reporter Kristen Daum at (701) 241-5541
