Vandrick Hamlin Sr. saw a need on his postal route. Hundreds of kids needed school supplies. With the help of social media, he was able to gather thousands and distribute them at a barbecue on Sunday.

In his 25 years working for the post office, 20 on this route, Hamlin has gotten to know just about everyone he delivers mail to and the needs of people in these communities.

Sunday’s event was a success. Numbers of people donated their time, food, drinks and large amounts of school supplies. Hamlin originally thought he would have 50 book bags to pass out to the children

That number was easily surpassed.

“We’re up to 600 now with more stuff coming,” Hamlin said shortly after the event started. Hamlin thanked all who donated, including his Facebook friends, as well as The News Journal and Delawareonline readers who learned about Hamlin’s efforts in a story last week.

Because of that generosity, children have supplies for the months to come.

In addition to helping children with back-to-school items and a clothing drive in the spring, Hamlin gave away gloves and hats to kids he saw on his route during the winter months. Many of these items he got from his Facebook friends.

Some kids follow him on bikes. Others run out of their homes with hands extended. They may not know his name, but they know how to get the postman’s attention: “Mr. Mailman. Mr. Mailman. Do you have anything for me?”

Vandrick R. Hamlin Sr. had pockets full of candy on Wednesday that he passed out to children at the Lancaster Court Apartments as he delivered mail to their parents.

“I don’t believe in just helping one child,” he said. “I believe in helping a lot of children because if you just help one, that other one is going to be over there watching you and is going to say ‘What about me?’ ”

Depending on how he does, Hamlin is thinking someday he can expand this into a foundation to help people in more communities. He expects to name this foundation after his son, Cameron Hamlin, who was killed on Sept. 24, 2006, by Shannon M. Johnson. Johnson was executed in April 2012 for the murder.

Daryl Toombs, manager at the Lancaster Avenue post office Hamlin works out of, said these efforts show how the postal service is a community service organization – “either on the clock or off the clock.”

“For the most part, all postal workers throughout the United States have a concern of their community that they serve,” he said. “It’s not just a job, they’re part of the community because we service the community.”