Coeur d'Alene carriers come though for families

COEUR d'ALENE — For Darrell Rickard, postal carriers do far more than deliver mail. They also help keep food bank shelves full.

The manager of the Community Action Partnership Kootenai County Food Bank said the National Association of Letter Carriers’ annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on Saturday brought in about 7,000 pounds from Coeur d’Alene Postal Service letter carriers.

"These efforts will enable us to continue combating hunger in our community," Rickard wrote.

Each year, on the second Saturday in May, postal carriers nationwide embark on their routes to collect nonperishable food donations for local food pantries. Originating in 1993, the drive has amassed nearly 1.9 billion pounds of food for food banks.

Rickard said the food bank is thriving, keeping busy as ever these days. 

"We're consistently attracting more customers each month and experiencing continuous growth," he said. "Occasionally, our shelves start to thin on certain items before the day ends. However, thanks to the generosity of our donors, we've always managed to provide something for those in need."

He said anyone who needs assistance for a month or for an extended period is welcome. 

"We're here to lend a helping hand whenever it's needed," Rickard said.