Each year the United States Postal Service sends out flyers to all customers announcing the annual Stamp out Hunger food drive for local nonprofits.

Employees of the Postal Service added to their work load when they delivered your mail by picking up food items you left at your mailbox to help feed the needy in Polk County. Rural mail carriers truly went the extra mile. They picked up the food at your mailbox and returned it to the post office. Food could also be left at each post office if you had a post office box instead of a mailbox. Every person who works for each post office gave of themselves to support this food drive and put in a lot of extra work.

This year Thermal Belt Outreach received around 4,000 pounds of food from the Tryon, Columbus and Mill Spring Post Offices. This was the largest amount given at any time since we have been receiving help from the Postal Services. Even though the economy is still bad, people open their hearts and gave what they could to help others.

The food will help feed a lot of families in Polk County.