“Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive” this Saturday

On May 13th, letter carriers across the country will be preforming double duty by not only collecting mail but also collecting bags of donated food.

“We are out in the community every day and we see a lot of the things that go on,” said Veronica Davis a member of the National Association of Letter Carriers. “We see the families that are not as fortunate, so this food that we pick up it will go towards helping those needy families.”

This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the national Stamp out Hunger food drive and local mail carriers hope this year’s drive will be the best ever.

“Last year wasn’t quite as good,” said Davis. “So this year we are hoping that we can at least increase that. Every year we are looking for bigger and better and we are just asking the community to help us give back.”

On average local mail carriers pick up about 43 tons of non-perishable foods that go to local food pantries.

“We are asking everybody if they would to continue doing the same,” said Callie Childers a member of the National Association of Letter Carriers. “We will be leaving bags again this year, they can put their non-perishable food items in that bag by their boxes and their mail carrier will pick them up.”

Local letter carriers ask for bags full of non-perishable foods so no-one goes to bed hungry.

“Green beans, corn, oatmeal, pasta, whatever canned goods that have a long shelf life,” said Davis.

By donating a simple bag of food or filling up your mail box, it can help a family in need one bag or mailbox at a time.

“If they don’t receive a bag, which most will, putting it in their mail box will be fine we will get it either way or they can just sit it on the side the boxes and let the flags up,” said Childers.

The campaign is held every year in more than 10,000 cities across the country. Last year, it brought in a record 80 million pounds of food.