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Postal carriers to collect food May 14
Local postal carriers once again will be picking up non-perishable food donations as part of the United States’ largest single-day food drive.
The Stamp Out Hunger initiative is coordinated by the National Association of Letter Carriers on Saturday, May 14, and all local donations are distributed through the Second Harvest Food Bank of Clark, Champaign and Logan Counties.
To participate in the food drive, residents should place non-perishable food products in a bag and leave them where the letter carrier delivers mail to the residence.
While the donation is primarily driven by postal carriers, rural mail route drivers typically will accept donations along their routes that day or residents can deliver items to a post office during regular business hours, Bellefontaine Postmaster Steven Dunton said.
“The driving force is the letter carriers’ union, but people can definitely take it to any post office or give to a postal carrier,” he said. “And rural carriers will pick it up even though it’s not their baby.
“This is the largest single food collection day in the United States, but the main thing is, everything we pick up stays local. It also comes at a good time of year because food banks are running low after the Christmas and New Year’s holidays are over. But the need is there 12 months out of the year.”
Stamp Out Hunger takes place in 10,000 cities and towns in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam and averages more than 70 million pounds of food collected each year.
Over the course of its history, the food drive has collected 1.4 billion pounds of food.
“We are honored to be able to help people in need by leading an effort that brings out the best in so many Americans,” NALC President Fredric Rolando said in a news release. “Six days a week, letter carriers see first-hand the needs in the communities where we work, and we’re committed to helping meet those needs.”
Locally, the event generates more than 24,000 pounds of food, Second Harvest Executive Director Tyra Jackson said.
“That’s an awesome demonstration of generosity,” she said, noting that boxed macaroni and cheese or pasta products, canned fruits and canned meats are the most frequently requested items from member agencies and clients. “It’s through efforts like the Stamp Out Hunger Campaign that we are reminded of just how generous our neighbors are.”