HAMPDEN – Seven months after Reminder Publications first reported Hampden residents’ concerns regarding misdelivered and missing mail, citizens are taking action into their own hands by hosting a rally at the East Longmeadow Post Office.

The East Longmeadow USPS location is where all of Hampden’s mail is sorted and is subsequently handed-off to carriers for delivery.  When Reminder Publications spoke with East Longmeadow USPS employee Ron Roberts in the fall, Roberts said there were two regular carriers for the town of Hampden as well as at least one substitute carrier who was in frequent use.

In January, East Longmeadow Postmaster Phil Fortin and Hampden Postmaster Danielle Harpin hosted a “meet-and-greet” at the Hampden Post Office where residents could share their mail concerns and experiences with the postmasters. Numerous residents attended the event and spoke with the postmasters expressing their dissatisfaction with mail delivery, as well over 100 residents have shared stories online of their misdelivered or missing mail.

Over the course of the last several months, residents have shared their concerns both with the Post Offices in East Longmeadow and Hampden, but also with one another on the “Facebook 01036: The Hampden Massachusetts Occasional” page.

On January 29 on a post regarding missing packages, Thomas Cardano commented that he’d called the East Longmeadow Post Office and his concerns were dismissed. “I called the East Longmeadow Post Office to have a discussion about not getting bills delivered. They informed me there is no issue with delivery service in Hampden and I only think that because I saw an article on MassLive. Also, the woman I spoke to was rude and clearly couldn’t care less about the problem claiming they didn’t lose my stuff and didn’t deliver it to the wrong house.”

Nancy Geurrandeno responded, “Had the same experience. I requested to speak with the postmaster and was told he would return my call within 48 hours. This was two weeks ago.”

Most recently on April 5, Hampden resident Barbara Sandstrom shared that on April 21 starting at 10 a.m. at the East Longmeadow Post Office residents will be rallying together in protest of the mail delivery service.

“Hundreds of people have been upset with no difference being made. Everyone is encouraged to attend as the more of us that go, the bigger the difference we can make. Enough is enough,” she commented.   

The group plans to rally across from the East Longmeadow Post Office to not violate any laws regarding assembling on private property.

“Hope this helps, nothing else has, I have been having issues here and there since East Longmeadow ‘took over,”” Pierre Bessette wrote.

“We are still missing a package from March 27th said delivered to our front door/porch. They have no idea where it is,” Susan Dunn Bisson explained.

John Ryan shared his most recent mail concern stating, “I just got my taxes back to be filed. They were mailed to me in a Priority Mail padded envelope. The envelope was folded in half and crushed on one side, not to mention the top was torn open...this is a sensitive parcel with my Tax ID and SS [social security] number on it for the world to see!”

Resident Susan Alston said she had received two pieces of misdelivered mail the day prior to her comment. “I don’t have time to return to the Post Office as recommended by the Postmaster, my time is precious. Just back in the box and hope they get to the correct address.”

In response to inquiry by Reminder Publications, US Postal Service spokesperson Christine Dugas shared a statement, “We are always happy to hear from our customers, even if it’s to tell us of a service problem. It not only gives us the opportunity to resolve the problem, but to meet  members of the community. We urge any postal customers who have an issue with their mail to contact the postmaster.

To attend the rally on April 21, head over to the East Longmeadow Post Office at 119 Industrial Dr. in East Longmeadow at 10 a.m.