A total of 58,828 pounds of food was collected Saturday for Oxford-Orion FISH during the National Association of Letter Carriers’ (NALC) 26th Annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.

Carriers from the Oxford Post Office collected 28,220 pounds of canned goods and other nonperishable food items, while the carriers at the Lake Orion Post Office brought in 30,608 pounds.

According to Vicky Haist, food drive coordinator for NALC Branch 320, that’s a new record for both post offices.

“I was truly shocked,” she said. “All these people opened up their hearts . . . It blows my mind.”

Last year, Stamp Out Hunger netted 40,417 pounds of food for FISH, so this year’s haul represents a 45.6 percent increase.

“That was amazing,” said FISH Vice President Julie Howald. “We have food everywhere – a great problem to have.”

“That is about four months worth (of food for FISH clients),” Howald noted. “We (give away) about 15,000 (pounds) a month.”

Haist and Howald wished to thank the army of volunteers, letter carriers and donors who pitched in to make this year’s drive such a smashing success at the local level.

Since 1973, FISH has been providing free emergency groceries to families, individuals and senior citizens who need help because they are living on low or fixed incomes, or they have fallen on hard times due to unemployment, illness or other personal crises.

The nonprofit group serves residents of Oxford, Orion and Addison townships along with a small portion of Oakland Township.

Last year, FISH distributed a total of 181,890 pounds of food to an average of 164 households – or 369 individuals – per month.

To learn more about Oxford-Orion FISH, donate or volunteer, please call (248) 628-3933 or visit www.oxfordorionfish.org.