NALC & UNITED WAY
TEAM UP TO
STAMP OUT HUNGER!

On Saturday, May 8th, the dock at the Ponca City post office was filled with more than letters and boxes to be delivered.  The mail containers were brimming with canned goods, dried beans, boxed macaroni and cheese, and other non-perishable and non-breakable items to help fill the cupboards of seven local agencies.  

Ponca Citians opened their hearts and their personal pantries to help make the 18th annual National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) and United States Postal Service (USPS) food drive a success. Even during these challenging economic times this community set another record by donating 20,267 pounds of food.  This was 2,104 more pounds of food from last year’s record of 18,143 pounds. 

Community volunteers and staff from the participating agencies helped the Letter Carriers collect the food, separate and then transport the food to seven local agencies working to feed Ponca City's hungry.  “Many volunteers and postal service employees went into the neighborhoods and picked up the food from the postal trucks”, says Steve Fields, National Association of Letter Carriers coordinator. “It’s a lot of work for the letter carriers to deliver mail and pick up the food bags from each home.  They gladly take on this extra task but appreciate the efforts of volunteers who come into the neighborhoods to help. At the end of the day Letter Carriers and volunteers were treated to hot dogs and hamburgers cooked by Gary Jackson.  

“The NALC National Food Drive is an annual event combining the efforts of Letter Carriers, United Way, US Postal Service, Campbell’s Soup, and Second Harvest.  Campbell Soup is by far the largest supporter, partnering with the Postal Service in printing millions of postcards to alert the public to the drive as well as donating one million cans of soup to food banks around the country, says Steve Fields, local NALC coordinator.  “It’s the largest one day food drive in the country.”   

The participating agencies included, Golden Villa Adult Day Services, Domestic Violence Shelter, New Emergency Resource Agency, Northern OK Youth Services, Peachtree Landing, The Mission, and The Salvation Army. Thanks to the efforts of our Letter Carriers and the local citizens who contributed, the food will help thousands of people in our community. For information about United Way of Ponca City or its member agencies call 765-2476.