Kristen, Mark, Rod, Kyle, Chris, Vanity and Teri of the Blue and Gold to Help Those in Need Motorcycle Club.

The Blue and Gold to Help Those in Need motorcycle group held a fun run to Jackpot, Nev., last week. They had approximately 60 riders attend and collected $500 for The Idaho Foodbank, which was delivered via motorcycles to the Eastern Branch warehouse in Pocatello on May 10.

Fun fact: The motorcycle club has an expletive in it’s actual name, so they call themselves the Blue and Gold to Help Those in Need motorcycle club in the media.

Regardless of what they call themselves, we are very grateful to the club members for thinking of their hungry Idaho neighbors. That $500 will provide 1,500 meals to people who really need the help. Thanks, Blue and Gold.

At the news conference to support Stamp Out Hunger: Idaho Foodbank Board members Marshall Brezonick and Kevin Storms, VP of Development Jenifer Johnson, President and CEO Karen Vauk, Boise City Council President Maryanne Jordan, Boise Postmaster Dan Frasier, Letter Carriers Food Drive Chair Mike Morrison and Foodbank Event Coordinator Shauna Stonehocker.

 20^th Annual “Stamp Out Hunger” Goal is 225,000 Pounds

Saturday, May 12, is officially Letter Carriers Food Drive Day in the city of Boise. Maryanne Jordan, President of the Boise City Council, read the proclamation from Mayor David Bieter at a news conference Wednesday at the Main Post Office.

She was joined by Mike Morrison of the National Association of Letter Carriers, Karen Vauk, The Idaho Foodbank’s President and CEO, as well as Foodbank officials and Boise Postmaster Dan Frasier. Councilwoman Jordan, joined by the others in attendance, also saluted Mike for his 11 years as chair of the Stamp Out Hunger drive.

It is hard to overstate the importance of this food drive. With one in six Idahoans – 267,600 people – food insecure, the Foodbank provides free emergency food more than 100,000 times each month. In fiscal year 2012, the Foodbank distributed 11.3 million pounds and in partnership with more than 200 nonprofit partners provided 9.4 million meals.

Our goal this year is 225,000 pounds or 187,500 meals, Karen said. The Foodbank will also gladly accept checks made out to The Idaho Foodbank and placed in separate marked envelopes, and donations can be made online at www.idahofoodbank.org.

But it is so easy to donate. This week most postal patrons will receive WinCo grocery bags and reminder postcards in the mail. All you have to do is leave bags of non-perishable food near their mailboxes on that morning. Even one can of soup will make a difference. After that, the letter carriers and hundreds of Idaho Foodbank volunteers will take care of the rest.