Postal Service Responds to the Mail Needs of Galveston Residents

USPS will implement an interim solution in either La Marque or Texas City

Houston, TX — The United States Postal Service (USPS) has developed a plan for making mail available to Galveston customers in response to the limited access to Galveston Island and the damage to homes and businesses.

All of the mail destined to Galveston is securely stored in the North Houston Processing and Distribution Center where it is safe and untouched by the effects of Hurricane Ike. The USPS is rapidly finalizing a temporary location near Galveston Island, most likely in Texas City or La Marque. This temporary facility will be ready to provide mail to Galveston residents by Thursday, September 25th.

“We understand how difficult a time this must be for the people of Galveston Island,” said Kelvin Williams, Houston District Manager. “Access to mail can provide individual relief and stability to communities; therefore, we will make sure that these residents gain access to their mail as soon as possible.”

The temporary facility will provide a working environment for our carriers and clerks that normally work on Galveston Island. At this alternate location, dedicated employees will continue to sort and deliver mail across a retail counter to customers. We will announce this location and the date that customers can start picking up your mail there once the location lease is signed this week.

If customers have permanently relocated or will be at a temporary location for an extended time, the Postal Service will forward your mail to the new address if you submit a change of address form. Customers may file a Change of Address (COA) on line at USPS.com, at the nearest Post Office or by calling 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777). COA cards will be made available to all shelters.

The USPS has made special arrangements to Galveston residents only to pick up their mail on Friday, Saturday, Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 19, 20, 22 and 23 respectively, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at a window set aside for this purpose at the North Houston Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) located at 4600 Aldine Bender Road east of JFK Blvd.

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Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/welcome.htm.

An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits every address in the nation — 146 million homes and businesses. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses, not tax dollars. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.