National Association of Letter Carriers

The National Association of Letter Carriers will conduct its 23rd annual food drive on Saturday. Letter carriers will collect non-perishable food donations on that day as they deliver mail along their postal routes.

The “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive, conducted in partnership with the U.S. Postal Service and the United Way, is the nation’s largest single-day food drive, and is held annually on the second Saturday in May in 10,000 cities and towns in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam.

“Letter carriers are honored to be able to help people in need,” NALC President Fredric Rolando said. “We see the needs in the communities we serve, and we believe it’s important to help meet those needs.”

Hunger affects about 49 million people around the country, including millions of children and senior citizens. And one in four households with a member currently serving in the U.S. military turns to a food bank for food assistance.

Pantry shelves filled up through winter-holiday generosity often are bare by late spring. And, with most school meal programs not available during summer months, millions of children must find alternative sources of nutrition.

On Saturday, as they deliver mail, the nation’s letter carriers will collect donations left by residents near their mail boxes. They will be joined by retired letter carriers, family members and friends, and volunteers to help collect and distribute the sacks of non-perishable food items that get left next to customers’ mailboxes that morning.

People are encouraged to leave a sturdy bag containing non-perishable foods such as canned soup; canned vegetables; canned meats and fish; pasta; peanut butter; rice or cereal next to their mailbox before the regular mail delivery on Saturday.

Carriers will bring the food to local food banks, pantries or shelters, including Rowan Helping Ministries, Main Street Mission and the Salvation Army in Rowan County.

People who have questions about the drive in their area can ask their letter carrier, contact their local post office, or go to nalc.org/food, facebook.com/StampOutHunger or twitter.com/StampOutHunger (hashtag #StampOutHunger).