WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — They're a familiar face in your neighborhood. Maybe you recognize Paul or Matthew or Jesse, and you know them as more than just the man who delivers your mail.
"You see children grow up; you end up becoming part of the family, and sometimes it's the only actual social contact that the individuals are getting," Matthew Slivinski said.
This weekend, they're asking for your help.
"Yeah, just a couple of things. We're not asking for a whole big bag. You know, if everybody just gives back one or two things, it'd be great," Paul Hughes said.
It's all part of the National Letter Carriers Association food drive. The effort is back this year after the pandemic shut it down for the last two years.
"We haven't had it, and it's hurting the local food banks. So this is much needed for this year especially," Hughes said.
All you have to do is leave a bag of nonperishable items by your mailbox on Saturday. Your letter carrier will pick it up on their route, and volunteers will load the bags onto trucks to go directly to area food pantries.
"It's nice to be able to pick up the food and know that it's going locally to help a family that you know, maybe you talk to every day," Jesse Golumbeski said.
The nationwide campaign has collected almost two billion pounds of food to date and counting.
If you miss your carrier on Saturday, May 14, you can always drop off items at your local post office.
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