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Hawaii mail carriers will join more than 175,000 nationwide today in the Postal Service’s annual "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive.
More than 427,999 pounds of food were donated in Hawaii last year, led by the 38,000 pounds collected by the Wahiawa Post Office/Mililani Station, the Postal Service said.
Residents can leave nonperishable food next to their mailbox for pickup today before their usual mail delivery time. Donations are taken to area post offices, where employees and their families will sort the food and deliver it to their nearest community food banks.
More than 183,500 people (14 percent of Hawaii’s population), including 55,000 children, receive emergency food each year through the Hawaii Foodbank network, the Postal Service said in a news release.
"The (food drive) is a big help because it always results in a lot of canned protein items, which are our ‘Most Wanted’ items," Hawaii Foodbank’s Mike Kajiwara said in a statement. The most desired food donations are canned meats or tuna; canned meals such as chili, stew or spaghetti; canned soups; and canned fruits and vegetables.
Adele Yoshikawa, Pearl City carrier and food drive co-coordinator, said, "Because of the poor economy, our donation totals last year were 13 percent less than the previous year. The good news is that the quality of food donations has increased as the quantity has decreased. Customers haven’t been just emptying their cupboards of old and unwanted food; they’ve taken the time to purchase and donate cases of much-needed canned food items like Spam, Vienna sausage, canned soups and vegetables."