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KIRKSVILLE, MO -- With continued high unemployment in addition to increasing food costs, hunger is affecting families more than ever before. In the first three months of 2012, an average of 1,702 people received assistance at Adair County food pantries each month. To keep up with this need, local letter carriers are partnering with The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri to collect food for Kirksville pantries and the Salvation Army.

Stamp Out Hunger will be held this Saturday by the United States Postal Service. Residence should have received a flyer this week explaining the campaign and where to place donated food and money to be picked up.

“If you don’t want to donate food, we have an envelope inside the bag here that you can donate money. Every one dollar equals out to 15 pounds of food and also 11 meals. So you can donate one dollar, here is an envelope inside the bag here to show you. Put your money inside the envelope and we will be sure to get the money to the food bank in this community,” said Kirksville Post Office Customer Service Supervisor Corey King.

Anyone wishing to help with sorting the donated food is urged to contact the Postal Service. The event has been a great success in the past and Postal Officials are hoping this year can be even better.