Jeffco Kids Benefit From Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive

LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) - Thousands of donations came into the Lakewood post office on Saturday in an effort to Stamp Out Hunger. The campaign comes once a year, every year.

"It really is one day that we are able to go out there and get food for everyone and just fill the pantries in our local neighborhoods," said Nicholas Hubert, a letter carrier and member of the National Association of Letter Carriers.

Letter carriers across the county picked up donations left at residents' mailboxes during their normal routes.

Donations included non-perishable food like chips and pasta. All of the food collected will stay in that community.

The donations are coming at a time of year when they are very much needed. The director of the Jefferson County Action Center, Barbara Penning, says donations tend to slow in the summer.

"There are over 30,000 kids in Jefferson County that will be without free and reduced lunches that they have had all year... and people don't know that," she said.

"When we see this kind of response from our carriers, from our community we look out there and say we are not alone," Hubert said.

Organizers expect this year to be a record-breaking year.