We’re thrilled to be once again hosting the annual Post Office Food Drive (POFD) for the second time since 2019! The POFD is an event held on the second Saturday in May that the National Association of Letter Carriers organizes across the country. This year the POFD is happening on Saturday, May 11, 2024. The Northampton Survival Center is the grateful recipient of the food collected in Northampton, Florence, and Leeds. In previous years, the Center has received as much as 20,000 pounds of food or more on a single day!

Volunteer

This year, we’ll be hosing the drive outside our building at 265 Prospect Street. Tents and storage pods will be set up so that volunteers can work in the fresh air and food can be safely sorted and stored until we’re ready to use it indoors. Since we’re running a much bigger program since the start of the pandemic, there’s not enough room inside the building to contain all the people and food needed to pull off this massive one-day effort.

A successful food drive requires many dedicated volunteers. In the week before the drive, dozens of volunteers help distribute bags throughout the Northampton communities. On the day of the event, volunteers help us starting at 10 AM by unloading, sorting, weighing, and stocking food into storage. We schedule volunteers in two-hour shifts throughout the day. Families with older children are welcome to volunteer together. If you are interested in volunteering, please click here to send Diane an email.

Donate food

If you live in Northampton or Florence, please keep an eye out for your bag that volunteers will deliver to your home in the week before the food drive.

Not sure what to donate? Your favorite things to eat are a good place to start! If you have important culinary traditions or dietary restrictions, chances are our clients do too. Donated food increases the selection in our pantry, empowering our clients to choose food that meets their families’ needs. We gratefully accept a variety of unopened, unexpired, shelf-stable food items, including (but not limited to):

CANNED & BOXED GOODS	FLAVOR ENHANCERS	EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS
Beans/Chicken/Tuna Cereal/Granola/Oats Crackers Fruits (in juice)/Vegetables Grains/Pasta/Rice Soups (incl. vegetarian)	Condiments/Spices Honey/Jam/Jelly/Syrup Ketchup/Mayo/Mustard Pasta Sauce/Marinades Peanut Butter/Nut Butter Pickles/Jarred Vegetables	Baking Soda/Baking Powder Coffee (ground)/Tea Cooking Oil Protein Bars/Protein Shakes Sweeteners/Splenda/Stevia Salt & Pepper

We aim to serve our clients with dignity and respect, so please be mindful of expiration dates. Gluten-free, low-sodium, and organic items are greatly appreciated.

Donate funds

If it’s not possible for you to make a food donation, or you prefer the ease of making a financial donation, we welcome your support! Please visit https://www.northamptonsurvival.org/makeagift to make a gift online, or send a check to the Northampton Survival Center at 265 Prospect Street, Northampton, MA 01060. Thank you!