Editor's note: Contact7 seeks out audience tips and feedback to help people in need, resolve problems and hold the powerful accountable. If you know of a community need our call center could address, or have a story idea for our investigative team to pursue, please email us at contact7@thedenverchannel.com or call (720) 462-7777. Find more Contact7 stories here.
DENVER — A Denver woman with physical disabilities claims the United States Postal Service refuses to deliver packages to her doorstep.
After months of talking to the USPS with no resolution, Cassandra Johnson reached out to Contact 7 for help.
“I have physical body pain. I take pain medicine all day, every day,” said Johnson. “I started ordering my heavier items, like my pet food and stuff, because I can’t physically carry it up the steps.”
But according to Johnson, those heavier packages never make it to her doorstep.
“Since we moved into the apartment they don’t want to deliver my packages,” said Johnson.
Since August, Johnson said she'd gone back and forth with the USPS over delivering packages directly to her apartment.
“They sent this email back telling me they were sorry, and that they would look into the situation. And they were supposed to be at least attempting the delivery,” said Johnson.
Johnson said USPS employees asked her to provide proof of her disabilities.
“I had to get my doctor’s office to actually fax them a letter stating that I had a hardship and for them to deliver my mail and packages to my door,” said Johnson. “I’ve complied with everything they’ve asked me to do. Then I got told 'well since your husband isn't handicapped he can come pick your packages up.'”
The US Postal Service issued this statement to Contact 7:
“The apartments for this address receive the mail in what’s known as a Centralized Mail Box Unit. There are parcel lockers next to that unit which allows customers to pick up oversized boxes at their convenience. The Postal Service has a Hardship Delivery program that is designed in extreme cases for individuals who live alone and have no alternate means of mail collection.”
But Johnson said that’s not fair.
“Now I’m getting to the point where I have to pay more because I’m having to find websites that I can order my supplies using UPS or FedEx,” she said.
Johnson said all she wants is for the USPS to put her packages in a place where she can physically get to them.
