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The local drive on May 12 is part of a National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC). Shown here during a past colletion benefiting the Branford Food Pantry is Patrick Anderson, NALC steward for Branch 19 in Branford. Pam Johnson/The Sound | Buy This Photo)

Mark your calendar: On Saturday, May 12, the Branford Letter Carriers will participate in the largest food drive in the country. All food collected locally will go directly to the Branford Food Pantry to provide supplemental food to families in need. Please help by bagging non-perishable items and setting them near, or hung from, your mailbox for collection when mail is delivered on May 12.

Whatever you donate, know that your contribution will make a significant difference for the nearly 400 different families that come to the Food Pantry throughout the year. "Since we are blessed to live in a beautiful and prosperous shoreline community, it's hard to imagine that many of our neighbors are struggling to afford the most basic staple, food," says Wendy Cowles Branford Food Pantry President. "But the statistics bear it out: In Branford, nearly 25 percent of school-age children qualify for subsidized meals. These neighbors rely on us for nutritious food, particularly for seniors and children."

The Postal Drive is the biggest food drive of the year for the Branford Food Pantry on Harrison Avenue; nationwide, the drive yields as much as 70 million pounds of food annually.

While all non-perishable food is welcome, there is a special need for peanut butter, jelly or jam, stew, tuna fish, juices, cereal, hearty soups, canned chicken or pork, hash and other meat-containing foods.

The Branford Food Pantry serves about 185 different families in need monthly and distributes 15-18,000 pound of food a month. Last year the total food distributed was 200,000 pounds! This is no small feat, and it is only possible through the generosity of the community's food or cash donors, groups like the Letter Carriers and volunteers at the Food Pantry.