ONEONTA _ The cupboard is looking bare, say local food bank and human service agency officials, who are welcoming this week's collection of food by area letter carriers.
Agency officials and food drive coordinators said the uncertain economy, high fuel costs and health-care expenses may force "heat or eat" decisions for neighbors in need.
``Please help us help,'' said Kurt Rotzler on Tuesday. He has been a rural carrier for 12 years delivering mail along Old Southside Drive and in Davenport.
The Oneonta post office carriers and rural delivery workers will collect food Thursday through Saturday. Area residents may leave nonperishable items at their mailboxes or drop them off at a post office.
At the Oneonta post office Tuesday, Postmaster Laurie MacCracken reviewed the program as carriers paused during mail sorting. Agency officials and the mayor thanked them in advance.
``The need this year is going to be particularly acute,'' Mayor John Nader said. ``Your services are particularly valued at this time.''
Gary Herzig, chief operating officer at Opportunities For Otsego, told carriers that recipients respond with smiles and say ``thank you.''
``I'm passing them on to you,'' he said. ``We're really impressed with the work the postal workers do.''
Donations are given to pantries and organizations in communities where they are collected. In Oneonta, the food donations will be divided between OFO and the Salvation Army, where officials said food would be used immediately or for holiday baskets.
Fran Card of the Salvation Army said 27 families stopped by Monday to request items from the food bank, up from about 10 families a day.
``We're seeing an immediate need,'' Card said.
Nonperishable staples including cereal, macaroni and cheese, canned fruits and vegetables, spaghetti and sauces are requested, she said.
``We are just so thankful for the outpouring the community has given us,'' Card added.
The Postal Service's Albany District reaches more than 3.5 million postal customers through 720 post offices. The district, covering 38,000 square miles, stretches from the Massachusetts and Canadian borders west to Waterloo and south to Binghamton and the Southern Tier. It includes central New York and Syracuse.
Last year's fall drive collected nearly 800,000 pounds of donated food items in the district. More than 1.5 million postcards announcing the 2008 Letter Carriers Harvest of Food were donated by Empire Vision.
For the Albany District, this is the 21st year of participation.
The Oneonta post office has participated for 17 years, said Michael Hubbs, president of local Branch 97 of the National Association of Letter Carriers. The largest collection was 9,700 pounds in 1995, which prompted a goal of 10,000 pounds, he said.
The collection has averaged about 8,000 pounds annually, Hubbs said, but last year, when the drive was shorter, the total was 2,750 pounds.
Last year, OFO provided assistance during the holidays to more than 800 families, Herzig said, and he expects the agency will help 1,000 families this year.
The Salvation Army last year helped about 600 families with food baskets at Christmas time, Card said.
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Denise Richardson can be reached at 432-1000 or (800) 721-1000, ext. 213, or at. drichardson@thedailystar.com.
