Another weekend, another time for giving back in Vicksburg.

Throughout the week Amy Vaughn Melton drove around the county stopping at different schools and other organizations collecting donations for the Kimmy Melton and Letter Carriers Food Drive called “Stamp Out Hunger.”

Letter carriers have been collecting food donations on the second Saturday in May since 1993, and the local post office has been working with Kimmy’s mother since last year to combine their efforts with her independent food drive in memory of her daughter.

The group seemed on track Saturday to reach their goal to beat last year’s total of 14,600 pounds of food collected. All the food was sorted and split among six local shelters and food pantries Saturday.

Melton sent me multiple messages throughout the week keeping me updated on the food she received from schools like Redwood Elementary, Warren Central High School and Bovina Elementary. At least 2,270 items, and probably more as the week continued and donations were counted, were collected from these organizations alone.

She put a lot of time, effort and manual labor into picking up these donations, taking them home, repackaging them in large boxes and then transporting them to the post office Saturday.

Melton did it all in honor of her daughter’s birthday where each year Kimmy asked friends and family to donate food to The Salvation Army as her birthday gift.

I’m glad so many people gave back by donating food in their mailboxes, and to everyone who spent time at the post office Saturday afternoon sorting through the donations and making it easier for each organization to pick up their food donations.

Hopefully the hard work of so many will restock the shelves of many shelters and food pantries who’s winter supplies have dwindled. With the school year wrapping up, it is an important time for organizations to have a solid stock of food because some children would not see a regular meal during the summer otherwise. Hopefully those families will be able to turn to local organizations like the Storehouse Food Pantry or River City Rescue Mission to receive the nourishment they need.

Donations will still be accepted at the post office and in mailboxes Monday.

These organizations weren’t the only ones receiving donations this weekend. Two Sunday school classes from First Baptist Church organized a rummage sale in the church parking lot Saturday in support of two ministries, Live Oak —  a church plant in New Orleans, and Renewal House — a men’s Christian sober living facility in Vicksburg.

Church members had already collected a room full of things to sell Wednesday before they began accepting donation from the community Thursday. I know the funding generated from the sale surely meant a lot to the ministries that received the donations and will continue to keep their work going to reach a bigger and broader audience.

Alana Norris is a staff writer at The Vicksburg Post. You may reach her at alana.norris@vicksburgpost.com. Readers are invited to submit their opinions for publication.