Letter carriers national food drive impacts local food pantries

Letter carriers from across the country delivered mail and picked up food for a good cause on Saturday.

For 25 years the "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive has provided support to local food pantries nationwide.

In McLennan County food donations collected by letter carriers will help those served by Caritas, The Salvation Army, and Shepherd's Heart.

"The letter carriers are busy on their own, but for them to take off during the year just to do this it means an awful lot to all the people in McLennan County," said Caritas Warehouse Manager Sally Norlie.

She said the organization depends on this food drive to replenish the shelves of their food pantry.

"From February till now in May, we're empty. I mean we're having to buy food," said Norlie.

She said most of the food from their holiday food drive has run out, and the demand increases during the summer months.

"We serve about 117 families which equals to about 335 people a day," she said.

In 2016 close to 50,000 pounds of food was collected in the Waco-McLennan County area.

"We're hoping to meet that and surpass it. We'll see. Every year it's better," said Norlie.

Waco resident Linda Parker joined others across the country in making a donation.

"It makes me feel good that I can be able to give back to the community myself out of my household just knowing what's needed in the community," said Parker.

Parker filled a bag with cans and other non-perishables for her letter carrier to pick up and deliver to Caritas.

"We need to all get together as one nation and as one city to be able to give out to the community when there's a time of need like right now for hunger," said Parker.