Community Corner
ECHO, Feeding America Link Up for 'Stamp Out Hunger' Postal Food Drive
Volunteers sought by the Emergency Care Help Organization to sort food at two sorting areas at each of the six shifts over two days, May 14-15, with 20 volunteers needed at each area. Sorting is indoors at Feeding America in Greater Brandon.
Brandon’s Emergency Care Help Organization (ECHO) needs volunteers for this weekend’s Stamp Out Hunger Postal Food Drive, an annual — and nationwide — event that stars with the food residents leave at their mailboxes for pickup by postal carriers during their regular runs of mail delivery.
Volunteers then will sort the food dropped off by the carriers, with sorting this year in Brandon, for the first time ever, taking place on two days instead of one.
The weekend sorting is scheduled for May 14 and 15 and also new this year is the location. Sorting will not take place at ECHO on Parsons Avenue, as it has in years past. Due to the large volume of food received, and the often unrelenting sun that marks the occasion, the sorting and boxing of donated non-perishables is set to take place at Feeding America, 4702 Transport Drive, Building 6, off State Road 60.
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Feeding America is allowing ECHO to use their indoor facility this year.
ECHO serves more than 700 area residents monthly from the communities of Brandon, Lithia, Dover, Gibsonton, Seffner, Valrico and Riverview. The group provides food, clothing and household items to individuals and families in emergency situations up to four times in a lifetime.
Find out what's happening in Brandonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Volunteers are needed to man two sorting areas at each of the six shifts over two days, with 20 volunteers needed at each area. The shifts run through the day from 12:30-7 p.m. May 14 and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (or until finished) on May 15 (see schedule below).
Volunteers must be 14 years of age or older and refreshments will be provided. Volunteers should wear closed-toe shoes. Students are eligible to receive community service hours.
Prospective volunteers can sign up online. Other options: email your name and desired shift to ECHO’s executive director, Stacey Efaw, at stacey@echofl.org.
For more information, visit ECHO online or call: 813-685-0935.
VOLUNTEER SCHEDULE AT FEEDING AMERICA:
- May 14 — 12:30-3 p.m.
- May 14 — 2:30-5:30 p.m.
- May 14 – 4:30-7 p.m.
- May 15 – 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
- May 15 – 12:30-3 p.m.
- May 15 — 3 p.m. until done
