Canada Post aims to ‘Stamp Out Hunger’ with Saturday food drive

Canada Post employees will be holding a citywide food drive this Saturday in support of area food banks, soup kitchens, and shelters.

Dozens of postal workers and their families will be dressed in pink while going door-to-door to collect food donations.

Residents are asked to leave donations in a bag by their mailbox before 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Pink flyers entitled ‘Stamp Out Hunger’ are being mailed out this week and should be attached to the donation bag.

Locals are encouraged to donate non-perishable foods including canned soups and vegetables, pasta, rice, cereal, peanut butter, and baby food.

Canada Post employee Mike Murphy says it’s been three years since they last held the food drive, and he’s excited to finally see the initiative return to the Sault.

“I think it’s a great way for residents to help out those who are less fortunate,” Murphy says. “We lost a little bit of steam with the two years off, but we’re hoping to pick it up. This will be an annual event on the Mother’s Day weekend, and we hope to make it bigger and better each year to help as many people as we can.”

Murphy notes this time of year is especially challenging on local agencies trying to keep their shelves stocked for those who are less fortunate in the community.

“Most of the donations they receive are around Christmas and afterwards,” Murphy says. “Leading into summer, their shelves are pretty empty, and that’s consistent across the board. This food drive fits perfectly in being able to help them re-stock for the next several months.”

One hundred per cent of the donations stay within the Sault and go towards several agencies including the Soup Kitchen Community Centre, Salvation Army, St. Vincent Place, Harvest Algoma, Women in Crisis, and Pauline’s Place.

In 2018 and 2019, the food drive collected over 55,000 pounds of food for local food banks, soup kitchens, shelters, and other agencies.