Side Orders: Post office doing its part to Stamp Out Hunger

Bag of groceries isolated on white background
Bag of groceries isolated on white background
photo Anne Braly
photo Bag of groceries isolated on white background

I love Judy, my mail carrier, because even during the worst weather she delivers my mail. That's a mail carrier's creed, one they stick to like a stamp to a letter. I can't imagine how cold they must get on a blustery winter day, or how wet they must be when spring rains splatter their trucks, drenching their arms as they reach into mailboxes.

So now I want to do something in return, and I'm urging you to do the same. This Saturday, leave a bag of canned and other nonperishable foods in a bag attached to your mailbox to help mail carriers with their annual food drive, Stamp Out Hunger.

Now in its 24th year, the food drive has become the nation's largest single-day food drive, according to the event website at stampouthunger.info.

In 2015, mail carriers in 10,000 cities across the United States collected a record-setting 71 million pounds of food donations; locally, more than 164,000 pounds of food was collected and donated to the Chattanooga Area Food Bank.

"It's one of our largest, single-day food drive events, and we certainly appreciate our mail carriers," says Food Bank Director of Communications Elizabeth Weidenaar.

Food brought in from the Stamp Out Hunger drive goes into the food bank's emergency food box program, which assists families throughout the area who are in need of emergency food due to any number of reasons such as issues with rent or health care and job loss.

Last year, the food bank distributed nearly 19,000 emergency food boxes, about 1.4 million meals. Fifty pounds of food are packed into each box, Weidenaar explains. Recipients who come to the food bank to pick up a box may also pick up 40 pounds of fresh produce, she says.

All you have to do to contribute is load up a bag of food with foods that won't perish over time, for instance, boxes of macaroni and cheese, oatmeal, Hamburger Helper, cereal, canned goods and peanut butter. Fill the bag up now so you won't forget. On Saturday morning, attach the bag to your mailbox; your carrier will pick it up and do the rest. It's not too much to ask on your part, but it means the world to the folks served by the food bank.

UNCORK AND UNWIND

One of the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera's most-fun events of the year, Uncorked, takes place at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, May 21, at Renaissance Park. Wines from Athens Distributing will be paired with foods from restaurants including Blue Water Grill, Rolling J, Puckett's Grocery, Walden Club, Porter's Steakhouse, Five and many more.

And you can truly show your support of the CSO by buying a ticket that will admit you into the VIP tent, where you'll experience "Wines of the World." Wine experts will provide samples of several varieties of wines from various countries such as Spain, France, Italy, the United States, Chile and Argentina. All VIP attendees receive a souvenir wine glass and plate, plus free parking with a provided shuttle. Food in the VIP tent will be provided by 212 Market and Sequatchie Cove Creamery.

Tickets to this evening on the banks of the Tennessee River are $65 per person or $125 per person for the VIP tent. All tickets - not just VIP - include a souvenir glass and may be purchased online at www.chattanoogasymphony.org or by calling 267-8583. The event will be held rain or shine. And don't forget to bring your I.D.

Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com.

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