The annual Letter Carriers Food Drive is right around the corner and south Snohomish County volunteers and food donations are needed to make this annual event a success.

Volunteers are needed to join the Letter Carriers to sort the food at four locations, with volunteers especially needed at the Lynnwood post office. Volunteers can learn more and sign up at uwsc.org/fooddrivevolunteer.

Yellow collection bags will be left in mailboxes the week of May 4. To participate in the food drive from home, please leave the yellow bag of nonperishable food items at your mailbox for your letter carrier to pick up on Saturday, May 9. Are you participating this year? Use #FeedSnoCo on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook to share how.

“One in seven people in Snohomish County are food insecure, which makes this annual food drive more important than ever,” said Leann Christensen, Senior Director of Basic Needs for Volunteers of America Western Washington.

Last year, 248,506 pounds of food was collected for this event, providing 194,145 meals, and accounting for half of all food received by Snohomish County food banks for the entire year. Snohomish County food banks rely heavily on the canned goods, dry foods such as pasta and cereal and other non-perishable items that make up the bulk of food donations.

“This is the 23rd year of the Letter Carriers Food Drive, and we look forward to this event every year,” said Bob James, President of the Snohomish County Association of Letter Carriers, whose route is in Mountlake Terrace. “We live and work in this community, and feel that helping our neighbors is so important. It’s always an honor to participate in this food drive.”

Although the food drive is a national event, here in Snohomish County it is organized by National Association of Letter Carriers Local 791, Volunteers of America Western Washington, United Way of Snohomish County and the Snohomish County Labor Council.