Help 'Stamp Out Hunger' Sat, May 9

On Saturday, May 9, the National Association of Letter Carriers, U.S. Postal Service, Campbell Soup Company, Feeding America,and other partners are asking South Floridians to help "Stamp Out Hunger."  Now in its 23rd year, the annual food drive has grown into a national effort that provides assistance to the millions of Americans struggling to put food on the table.

The NALC's "Stamp Out Hunger" Food Drive, held on the second Saturday in May, has become the nation's largest single-day food drive. In 2014, generous Americans donated 72.5 million pounds of food, feeding 30 million people. This was the 11th consecutive year of at least 70 million pounds of collected by letter carriers. That's well over one billion pounds of food since the drive began.

The need for food assistance exists in every community in America.  According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 50 million Americans are food insecure, meaning they live at risk of hunger. Perhaps most alarming is the fact that nearly 16 million children in America are struggling with hunger. In addition, 4.8 million seniors face the choice between paying rent and utilities and having a nutritious meal.

To participate in the annual "Stamp Out Hunger" Food Drive, you're encouraged to leave a bag containing non-perishable food items, such as canned soup and vegetables, peanut butter, pasta, rice, and/or cereal next to your mailbox prior to the time your regular letter carrier makes delivery on Saturday, May 9. City and rural letter carriers will collect these items and deliver them to local food banks and pantries.