On Saturday, May 14 letter carriers throughout Marion County as well as more than 10,000 cities and towns throughout the country will pick up much more than the mail along their postal routes; they will also collect the goodness and compassion of their postal customers during the 19th annual National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) National Food Drive.

This annual effort has become the largest one-day food drive in the nation's history, resulting in more than a half billion pounds of food to local food banks, pantries and shelters in all 50 states. Last year in Marion County, a record 184,000 pounds of nonperishable food was collected and donated to Interfaith Emergency Services for distribution to the Salvation Army, Brothers Keeper, St. Theresa's Catholic Church and the Help Agency of the Forest food banks. The Ocala Post Office was ranked first in the nation in their union member category for the third year in a row for the community's outstanding effort in supporting this program.

Postal customers are asked to hang a food donation on their mailbox before their letter carrier delivers the mail on Saturday, May 14, and the carrier will do the rest. Collection barrels will also be set up at all Post Office branches to accommodate those with Post Office Boxes.

United Way of Marion County, USPS, America's Second Harvest, Campbell's Valpak and AFL-CIO have partnered with the NALC to help stamp out hunger.