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Anderson Helps Stamp Out Hunger in Branford

With support from Patrick Anderson, Branford’s letter carriers are geared up to collect as many bags of non-perishable food as residents can leave by their mailboxes this Saturday, May 14, during the 24th annual National Association of Letter Carrier’s (NALC) Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.

A Branford letter carrier of 32 years, Patrick is Steward of NALC Branch 19 and is Branford U.S. Postal Service office’s food drive coordinator.

Patrick’s been Branch 19 NALC steward for 15 years and has coordinated NALC’s Stamp Out Hunger drive at the Branford office for the past 10 years. Branford has participated in each of the 24 years of the nationwide program, the largest national volunteer food drive effort in the country, Patrick notes.

“Nationally, for the last 12 consecutive years, NALC has picked up between 70- and 71 million pounds,” says Patrick. “It averages out to 1.4 billion pounds of food collected since we started the food drive. It’s astronomical.”

For each of those 24 years, Branford Food Pantry (BFP) has been the beneficiary of the Stamp Out Hunger drive that takes place in this town. Patrick says Branford’s carriers are hoping to see a big response this Saturday, in the form of bags of donated food left at mailboxes in advance of carriers arriving to deliver the day’s mail.

“We usually collect between 12,000 pounds and 14,000 pounds, in that one day,” says Patrick.

For residents who think they may be burdening their carrier by asking him or her to take away a bag filled peanut butter, tuna fish, canned meats (such as stew), soups, fruit juice, beans, pasta, pasta sauce, and other staples of a family food pantry—think again.

“We’d pick up 10 bags at each one, if that’s what was left for us,” says Patrick.

BFP is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization based at Patricia C. Andriole Volunteer Services Building on Harrison Avenue. Response to the annual Stamp Out Hunger Drive in Branford is critical to BFP’s operational success, says BFP Vice President Jay Webb.

“It’s by far largest contribution that we get in the year,” says Webb. “The food collected on that one day represents, in poundage, almost a month’s worth of our distribution, so that’s a huge percentage of our annual distribution.”

Currently, BFP gives out approximately 230,000 pounds of food annually. Each week, volunteers sort and stock shelves in order to keep up with an average demand of 16,000 to 17,000 pounds of food given out per month. Current numbers show the food is being received by an average of 168 families per month among some 250 qualified to receive assistance by Branford Counseling Center.

“Some people come once a week, some come once a month; some only come a certain time of the year because they work somewhere that’s seasonal,” says Webb. “Some only come because they run out of other food. So there’s a variety of situations.”

Patrick says it’s an honor to help the town’s letter carriers share in the manpower and effort that goes into supporting this community program.

“In Branford, we have 28 regular routes and we have pretty much 100 percent participation, and it’s absolutely all-volunteer. They will collect the food from their routes and then go directly to Branford Food Pantry before clearing for the night,” says Patrick, who sets up a canopy at the BFP loading dock to help keep carriers dry when unloading during May’s unpredictable weather.

Carriers generally start arriving with food at about 3:30 p.m. with the heaviest concentration pulling in between 5:30 and 6 p.m. They help an extra cadre of volunteers from BFP take the food off the trucks. BFP volunteers weigh the boxes, then sort and store the food.

As long as residents are aware in advance that the annual drive is taking place, response is “tremendous,” says Patrick, adding thanks goes to U.S. Postal Service for supporting the effort.

“This is not just letter carriers that are doing this,” says Patrick. “This is a partnership with the Postal Service, too, because they’re our bosses. They do a lot for us, as far as getting the word out. They allow us to deliver notification cards ahead of the collection, so it is a great partnership.”

Branford carriers deliver between 13,000 and 14,000 Stamp Out Hunger notification cards to residents in advance of the event, which always takes place on the second Saturday in May.

Patrick notes support of the program extends nationally with other groups supporting NALC’s Stamp Out Hunger effort, such as the recent addition of the National Association of Rural Carriers.

“It’s really good that we’re getting some new people on board,” he says. “Some of our new people that are backing up us this year are United Food Commercial Workers Union, United Way, AFL-CIO, and Valassis.” Valpack is also continuing its support this year as a national partner.

About the past 20 years of Patrick’s carrier career has been spent covering a route that stretches from 395 East Main Street in Branford up to the Guilford town line and back down again, hitting “everything in-between,” he says.

“I’m starting my 32nd year with this company and you get to know people,” he adds. “I’ve been on the same job over 20 years; so they all know me by name. My route is mainly business so [on Stamp Out Hunger Day] I pick up less than other carriers. So I go around and help the guys that are heavy to bring it down.”

For residents who may miss their carrier’s delivery stop this Saturday, there is a plan—bring it on down to Branford U.S. Post Office at 35 Park Place on May 14 and it will be added to the day’s donation drive.

“We have a lot people that will come in,” he says. “We usually have a couple of bins full of food out on the back dock for Jay’s people to come over and pick up.”

Webb says the success of the annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive in Branford has a lot to do with Patrick’s coordination efforts.

“Pat is the lead guy,” says Web. “If it wasn’t for his pushing and moving it along, we wouldn’t be the beneficiary. If you don’t have a good leader, it doesn’t happen.”

On behalf of NALC Branch 19 and all of those at Branford U.S. Post Office, Patrick thanks everyone who supports this worthwhile effort.

“We want to thank the people for their contributions, and the Postal Service for allowing us to be involved with this, and all of our sponsors.”