The COVID-19 pandemic has ruined all the plans that we had for 2020. Besides ruining planned vacations, weddings, etc., the pandemic has also tanked many economies. Greatly suffering as a result of the pandemic is the U.S. Postal Service. Because many different businesses have made huge reductions to their advertisements and promotional items they send through the mail to customers, the postal service is taking a huge hit. Most of the post office’s revenue comes from these big mailing orders, and the postal service is really hurting during this pandemic.
Of course, it is important that USPS be kept alive. It’s been around since the founding of the country, but it has also played a very important role. As explained by Lifehacker, the mail delivery system has been a vital institution that delivers mail to every single home across the country. The methods they use vary, as they can deliver mail by truck, boat, or even mule! Reaching homes in this manner – by any means possible – is particularly important given that we are coming up to a very important election this year. The USPS is the only method of getting important documents, such as paychecks and election ballots, to people who may be living in very rural areas – especially if they don’t have reliable phone or internet services.
While many of us want to save the post office, we might not know exactly what to do – but here is how our dollars can help the post office. The postal service does not receive government funding but instead relies on money that it makes from selling stamps as well as other shipping supplies. So, the best way that we can help the post office is to buy stamps. And luckily for us, the online store for USPS is stocked full of many different designs. There are so many to choose from that you can get anything from Scooby-Doo to Sally Ride to Gwen Ifill. There aren’t just people on the stamp designs, there are also plenty of flowers, fruits, and other items to choose from. So either way, you can choose stamps that fit your personality. Not only is buying stamps a way to help the post office, but you can also get your dog a mail carrier costume to help show your post office support – and it only costs $18.
Besides buying stamps or a costume for your dog, you can also sign a petition to save the USPS by texting “USPS” to the number 50409. The chat is called Resistbot. Once you text it, you will be directed through the steps to add your name, email address, and residential address, etc. But it will also be dispatching an automated message to your senators to inform them that you’ve signed the petition and they need to support saving the USPS.
Given the importance of the upcoming election, it’s important that we save our postal system.