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Idahoans help to 'stamp out hunger'

Posted at 9:23 PM, May 14, 2016
and last updated 2016-05-15 00:20:54-04
United States Postal Service vehicles were full today, but in addition to mail, they were full of food, and it's all part of the 24th annual Stamp Out Hunger Food drive.
 
"What is so great about this food drive is the simplicity of it. People just simply hang their bags of stuff off of the mailboxes and we do the rest," said letter carrier Candace Lincoln.
 
The food drive takes place all around the nation, but donations made here in Idaho will stay within the Gem State, just in time to stock the shelves of the Idaho Food Bank for summer.
 
"About this time of year no one thinks about the need for food in the food bank. School is about to end so all the kids that were getting the free and reduced lunches don't have anything to look forward to as far as food wise for the summer. This is great to get those kids hungry tummies fed throughout the entire summer," said letter carrier Adam Wallace.
 
Mail carriers said the extra work of picking up the food while still delivering the mail can be a backbreaking job.
 
"You go home and you don't wanna do anything the rest of the day, you are exhausted," said Lincoln.
 
They said the community was incredibly patient in waiting for their mail, and the extra weight on the trucks helped make them look pretty cool.
 
 
 "I feel extra rad driving down like low rider style picking up food for the community. It's pretty rad," said Wallace.
 
Although the total amount of food donated Saturday will not be known for a week, mail carriers said their trucks and their hearts were full.
 
"It's been amazing. I've picked up more this year than I ever have," said Wallace.
 
"At the end of the day when you come and you look in the back of your vehicle and it is full of food and you know you did something good for the community to give back, it's all worth it," said Lincoln.
 
If you forgot to put your cans out Saturday, mail carriers said if you put your food out anytime next week, they will pick it up and be sure it gets to the food bank.