USPS, Midwest Food Bank coordinating food drive

Posted on May 11, 2018
Midwest Food Bank and the United States Postal Service will be collecting goods Saturday to restock Midwest Food Bank’s shelves. (Facebook/Midwest Food Bank)

By Patrick Baron

BLOOMINGTON – The United States Postal Service is working with Midwest Food Bank to collect goods for a once-a-year food drive between the two organizations.

Residents can put nonperishable foods in a bag for volunteers to collect Saturday. The food is taken to Midwest Food Bank, where it is distributed. USPS letter carrier Kimberly Marshall, who will be one of the people collecting the food with Midwest Food Bank volunteers, said foods that come in plastic containers are the best option for the drive. She noted they can’t take goods that have been opened.

“The kinds of food we want are nonperishable foods – things you haven’t tasted and decided you don’t like,” Marshall explained. “We can’t take items that are already opened. Don’t clean out your spice rack and send that to us.”

Marshall also said summer is one of the best times to donate to food drives. She explained with the holiday season behind us, Midwest Food Bank’s shelves need to fill up again.

“This time of year, shelves are getting bare. Kids are getting out of school, so mom is going to have more mouths to feed that they haven’t been feeding at lunch time, so this is a great time for us to restock,” said Marshall.

Marshall said last year’s food drive brought in just over 100,000 pounds of food for Midwest Food Bank.

Patrick Baron can be reached at [email protected].

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