Current News

NALC Food Drive Sets New Record for Roanoke Valley

On May 12 Roanoke Valley residents helped amass the largest total of food collected since Roanoke Valley members of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) began observing the national Stamp Out Hunger food drive.

A total of 136,839 pounds of food was donated for distribution through the Southwestern Virginia Second Harvest Food Bank. This represents growth of about 17 percent from the 114,132 pounds collected during the NALC Food Drive in 2006.

“I thought we did very well to be the state’s leader in per capita donations last year,” said Don Vineyard, NALC Branch 524 president. “Now, we’ve definitely put the Roanoke Valley on the map as a very generous community.”

This year marked the 15th national observance of the NALC Food Drive. Local co-sponsors with NALC Branch 524 and the Food Bank were United Way of Roanoke Valley, the US Postal Service and Cox Communications, which underwrote the cost of 100,000 food collection bags to stimulate donations.

About 20 surrounding communities and the City of Salem also participated in the NALC Food Drive through cooperation of members in the Salem NALC Branch and the National Rural Letters Carriers Association. Altogether, more than 300 carriers and as many as 1,200 volunteers accomplished the successful Roanoke Valley drive.

The Southwestern Virginia Second Harvest Food Bank supplies a network of more than 350 collaborating nonprofit charities (in a 26-county and 10-city region) that provide food or meals to those who lack sufficient nutritious food. A United Way of Roanoke Valley partner agency, it serves the region from headquarters on Electric Road in Salem.

[Back to Top]