PORT TOWNSEND — Postal carriers in East Jefferson County collected more than 13,000 pounds of nonperishable food for food banks in the 2009 Stamp Out Hunger drive earlier this month.
The local effort was part of the National Association of Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger campaign, which takes place at more than 1,100 branches. It has collected 909 million pounds of food from residents, who leave it in their mailboxes, over 17 years.
Port Townsend’s office alone collected a total of 12,000 pounds of food, said Butch Marx, manager of the Port Townsend Post Office.
“It was surprisingly good,” Marx said. “We broke the record by maybe a couple hundred pounds. I don’t remember the exact number, but we easily beat it.”
Marx said food was pouring in the door on the day of the drive, May 9.
“We had to take two truckloads to the food bank, there was so much,” he said.
“It’s good to see people were so giving this year.”
Port Townsend is the largest postal district in Jefferson County.
Three other offices took part in the collection as well.
According to the Washington State Association of Letter Carriers Web site: Port Hadlock collected 1,050 pounds of food, Nordland collected 178 pounds and Chimacum collected 176 pounds.
“We aren’t nearly as big, being a rural office, but we do get involved,” said Lee Weatherly, postmaster in Port Hadlock.
“I want to say our numbers were about the same as last year.
“We might have dropped off just a tad, but it definitely wasn’t much.”
Shirley Moss, assistant manager for the Port Townsend Food Bank, said it doesn’t matter how much or how little each office collected.
“All of it is just wonderful for us,” Moss said.
“Last year, they broke the total record, and this year they broke that record.
“I honestly didn’t think they were going to do it, but it’s good because we need it.”
The food has been shipped to a central storage hub in the county where the donated goods are divvied up and sent to the four food banks: Port Townsend, Tri-Area (Chimacum), Quilcene and Brinnon.
Need increasing
Moss said the food banks are seeing record numbers of clients.
“The numbers of people using food banks have doubled in the last year and a half,” she said.
“We used to have between 120 and 140 families every Wednesday when we’re open. Now we always go over 200. Even seeing 250 isn’t uncommon.”
Moss said the record for the Port Townsend Food Bank was set on the Wednesday before last Thanksgiving, when 282 families came for food.
“These are working people,” Moss said “Right now, they just can’t make ends meet.”
Moss said everyone is welcome to visit or contact the food bank to get food, volunteer or donate food.
The Port Townsend Food Bank can be reached at 360-531-0275. It is open every Wednesday from noon to 3 p.m. at 731 W. Park Ave., Port Townsend.
The Tri-Area Food Bank can be reached at 360-732-0383. It is open every Wednesday from noon to 3 p.m. at 10 West Valley Road, Chimacum.
The Quilcene Food Bank can be reached at 360-765-0904. It is open every Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 294952 U.S. Highway 101, Quilcene.
The Brinnon Food Bank can be reached at 360-796-4444. It is open every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 151 Corey Lane, Brinnon.
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Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.
