Good deeds, even in small doses, have a way of growing into something special.

For example, hundreds of Hartselle and Falkville postal patrons acted from the generosity of their hearts on Saturday by participating in the Postal Service’s food drive for needy families.

Simply put, they selected nonperishable food items from their pantries, put them in a paper bag furnished by the Postal Service and placed them next to their mailboxes.

Acting above and beyond their call to duty, carriers picked up the food and carried it back to the post offices. Next, the food was delivered to food pantries in South Morgan County.

Carpenter’s Cabinet in Falkville was one of three destinations for the food collected by Hartselle and Falkville post offices. Eight volunteers were waiting there on Monday to sort the food items and stock them on shelves for distribution to needy families.

Yesterday, the food began reaching the hands of those who desperately needed it to feed their families. Some of the recipients are struggling with unemployment as victims of a long economic recession; some are single parents with limited incomes; and others are the elderly who are unable to work and have to survive on a Social Security check.

Over the past two years the food pantry has accumulated information from the families they help and have come up with these startling facts:

• 35 percent of the households had to choose between paying for food, rent or a mortgage payment

• 53 percent had to choose between paying for food or utilities

• 46 percent had to choose between paying for food or medicine

• 19 percent are below the average poverty level

• 15 percent are homeless

The good deed initiated by the Postal Service in this instance demonstrates that one good deed leads to another, and much good can be done to help those less fortunate when many people get involved.