A can of Campbell’s cheddar cheese soup seemed like a thoughtful local donation to the Letter Carriers “Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive, which makes its annual arrival this Saturday, May 11.
But then volunteers who sorted the items took note of the expiration date, which was 30 years prior. Nobody was willing to find a can opener to sniff what this potential nacho sauce might be smelling like, here in the 21st century.
Message: Feel free to reach deep into our personal pantries and to unload all those unused canned goods. Simply check the dates while wiping off the dust.
Newer items are preferred, of course, but still they should be non-perishable, like soups and sauces (with “use by” stamps) and spaghetti and rice. Larger agencies like Hidden Harvest also accept cash donations, which they can stretch in value in obtaining corporate surpluses, up to $10 in retail value for each $1 given.
In mailboxes this week, bags were included for Saturday donations. Hidden Harvest, which collects food that otherwise would go to waste, is the local lead agency. Partners are the National Association of Letter Carriers, the U.S. Postal Service, United Food and Commercial Workers, and the AFL-CIO.
