Earlier this month, the National Letter Carrier’s food drive came again to our island. The Bainbridge Island Post Office supported the drive by collecting all the food so generously donated by the community at their mailboxes.

The drive is sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers union, and the efforts of United Way of Kitsap and Food Lifeline of Seattle. Several national partners – including U.S. Postal Service, Campbells, Valpak and the AFL-CIO – also participated.

As a result of the efforts of all these groups, Helpline House was the happy recipient of almost 13,190 pounds of food being deposited on the local Post Office loading dock on Saturday.

Enthusiastic volunteers from a variety of organizations, including Helpline House, Rotary Club and Bainbridge High School, all pitched in to load the food into the Hill Moving truck. A huge thank you to Hill Moving, which generously donated the truck, its driver, workers to unload the food, as well as providing year-long support to the food bank.

Thanks again to all who so enthusiastically embraced this annual food drive (always the second Saturday in May) and made it the huge success it was. Many people on Bainbridge Island will benefit from the fact that our shelves are now filled.

Marilyn Gremse, Clara Manny, Gina Kapel Helpline House