Local Couponer, Post Office Donate to Troops

Valley Cottage’s Coupon Queen has done it again. Anna (Foldvary) De Sousa used her coupon clipping experience to get a great deal from a Pathmark shopping trip on Thursday. She teamed up with the West Nyack Post Office to donate her purchases to troops overseas.

She has used her skills to donate large amounts of food and supplies to People to People, Rockland County’s largest food pantry, and countries in need.

“When you describe God’s work, you speak about what Anna and the West Nyack Post Office are doing,” said Legislator Ed Day. “Many people do not even know the impact of this on the troops overseas. It’s a very positive and wonderful thing they’re doing.”

“Everybody at Pathmark couldn’t believe it I ended up paying seven and change,” said De Sousa, whose shopping trip resulted in 107 items—bags of rice and Zone Power bars. It took an hour and 45 minutes. “It was a lot of fun. After my last donation to People to People in October, I’ve been collecting since then for the troops. It’s a wonderful feeling for me.”

Derek McLoughlin of the West Nyack Post Office was the one that got De Sousa involved in donating to the troops. The program is called “Adopt a Platoon.”

“We find out from the community any local residents stationed overseas. The schools get involved and kids make postcards,” he said.  “In about three years she’s donated at least 20,000 pounds. This donation here is small compared to her usual ones.”

Edward Rendos of the post office volunteered his lunch time and truck to pick up the donations. The post office also works with the Marine Corps League.

“There’s a group of veterans who bring in items and we ship out their things too,” said Allyson McAdam of the West Nyack Post Office, who has also been involved with De Sousa from the beginning. “They also take stuff we can’t send overseas and donate it to the VA hospital. Some of the people we send stuff to sends us photos back of the packages they receive.”

“It all goes to a good cause,” said De Sousa. “I save some for myself and share it with my family and friends but the rest is donated.”

Glass items, such as hot sauce bottles, cannot be mailed and are donated to Meals on Wheels.

“If it wasn’t for her and how she does the coupons, this wouldn’t be possible. She knows how to get the triple couple,” said Post Master Carol Miller. “The problem she encounters is that the stores that don’t always cooperate.”