On Saturday, May 8, the U.S. Postal Service letter carriers will conduct its annual food drive to collect donated food items to assist in feeding the hungry across the United States.

In Southington, the nonperishable food items collected will be distributed equally to Bread for Life, Southington Community Services, and the Giving Back Program. Food collected by the postal carriers will be delivered to the YMCA Learning Center where volunteers from the United Way, the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Bread for Life, Southington Community Services, the Giving Back Program and many others will help sort and box food.

In Plainville, the nonperishable food, cleaning supplies and hygiene items will be delivered to the Plainville Community Food Pantry, 19 S. Canal St., where volunteers will sort the goods. The most important items needed in Plainville include condiments, pasta sauce, instant coffee (regular and decaf), crackers, cooking oil, juice boxes, household cleaners, laundry detergent, shampoo, conditioner, toilet paper, individual and four-packs, napkins, bar soap, paper towels, diapers sizes 4 to 5, sanitary products including tampons and mini and maxi pads, and storage bags.

More clients are using the services of the Plainville food pantry, which includes energy assistance, thus the food and other items are going out the door at a greater rate than previous years, according to Susie Woerz, executive director. About 90 percent of clients use food stamps and these cannot be used for paper goods, hygienic products or cleaning supplies. The pantry uses monetary donations to purchase these goods to put on the shelves.

Woerz said she has been seeing a dramatic increase in the statistics. Last year, about 108 to 110 families used the food pantry; this year, the number has jumped to 180 households in need. In 2009, a total of 83,611 lbs. of goods was distributed to clients. This was from the 85,422 lbs. collected. Not much remained at the end of the year, Woerz said, and this year they anticipate a greater demand.

Eldon Hafford, executive director of Bread for Life, said, “The Southington Community Food Pantry — a collaboration of Southington Community Services and Bread for Life — is currently supplying supplemental groceries to over 600 Southington community families. The number of seniors and shut-ins receiving hot home-delivered meals from us is also continuing to grow. In this volatile economic time, food donations are needed more than ever.”

Residents should place nonperishable food items outside the home for postal carriers to pick up when they deliver the mail.

In Southington, food donations may also be dropped off at Bread for Life, 145 Main St. (behind the Masonic Lodge), Southington, Monday-Friday from 1 a.m. to 1 p.m., or at Southington Community Services, 91 Norton St., Plantsville, Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monetary donations may be made to Bread for Life, P.O. Box 925, Southington, CT 06489, or online at www.southingtonbreadforlife.com.

For more information on donating, call the food pantry at (860) 747-1919 or visit the Web site www.thefoodpantry.net. Items can also be brought to the food pantry during weekdays.