Residents throughout Plainview and Old Bethpage are being asked to help feed the needy by participating in a nationwide food drive sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers in conjunction with the US Postal Service, Island Harvest, Long Island Cares Regional Food Bank, the United Way and the Long Island Federation of Labor. Plainview/Old Bethpage Letter Carriers will collect nonperishable food donations left by mailboxes along their routes as they deliver the mail on Saturday, May 9, to help stock local food banks for the needy, Sandy Jenkins Letter Carrier Plainview said.

This one-day food drive is part of a nationwide drive designed to fill food bank pantries through the summer months, when levels are traditionally low. Letter carriers from all 50 states and hundreds of cities will take part.

This is the fourth year Letter Carriers in Plainview and Old Bethpage have participated and the sixth year the food drive has been held nationwide. The national food drive has grown from 12 million pounds collected in 1993 to 73 million pounds collected in May of last year¬setting a record one-day drive effort. Last year, Long Island letter Carriers collected over one million pounds of food.

"We ask all residents to leave at least one nonperishable food item next to their mailbox on May 9 to help make this drive a success and help feed the needy in this area," said Joseph Havlik, Plainview Letter Carrier. "It may mean a heavier satchel and maybe a few sore muscles for us, but the burden will be eased by knowing that our efforts will help feed families in need."

Studies show that hunger in America is a much more serious problem than most people realize. Approximately 10.4 percent of the population¬a staggering 30 million Americans¬rely on food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters and other emergency feeding programs served by food bank networks. Generous donations of nonperishable food items from homes along letter carrier routes on May 9 will help those in need.

Food collected by letter carriers will be taken to a redistribution point of transportation to Long Island Cares Regional Food Bank and other agencies.

Old Bethpage Manager Customer Services James Robinson said the US Postal Service is pleased to be a partner in this humanitarian effort.

"The US Postal Services touches the lives of all residents of Plainview and Old Bethapge," Robinson said. "We are pleased that our postal facilities and operation can act as a conduit for our customers to help others in the community."