Place Canned Food By Mailbox Saturday For National Food Drive

The Cookeville Post Office wants to revitalize the Stamp Out Hunger food drive after seeing a steady decline in participation.

The National Association of Letter Carriers will conduct the annual food drive on Saturday. Post Master Jemariah Manus said all you have to do is place a non-perishable food item by your mailbox Saturday morning.

“The last few years even three years ago, the food we got was hardily any,” Manus said. “The last two years we didn’t do it due to COVID. We’re hoping this year will be a little bit better. It used to be a big thing.”

Manus said letter carriers will pick-up the food items on their routes. Manus said the items will then be taken to Stevens Street Baptist Church to be distributed. Manus said at one time, up to three churches received food by truck loads from the drive.

“We had so much that the Boy Scouts would come around and they would come in and pick up food,” Manus said.

Manus said if you live in an apartment complex, you can still set the food items near the mail box unit. Manus said the national association decides where the food is delivered.

“A can or two would be better than none,” Manus said. “A lot of prices have went up, so some people may look at that. But, a can or two over the whole city we will be able to feed more people.”