“Stamp Out Hunger” Collects Food for Those in Need

Did you know that USPS goes above and beyond to give back to the community? Every year, the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) organizes “Stamp Out Hunger,” a nationwide food drive that collects food donations for those in need. This year’s Stamp Out Hunger drive was a huge success, bringing in millions of pounds of food across the country!

What is the Stamp Out Hunger Drive?

Put together by the NALC, Stamp Out Hunger is the largest single-day food drive in the entire country. It always takes place on the second Saturday every May. Last year, the drive brought in nearly 75 million pounds of food nationwide for those in need. In fact, the drive has collected over 1.5 billion total pounds of food since its inception!

Justin Landrum, a USPS letter carrier and NALC representative offered up a quote regarding the drive and who it helps.

“The mission is to literally stamp out hunger,” Landrum said. “The food goes to good causes and good people. And it also goes to people like my mom. She’s 78 and on a fixed income. She gets a box every week from the food bank. Donations go directly to people like her.”

Summertime is Critical for Food Donations

While most people are quick to donate food during the holidays and winter months, summer is often an overlooked season for food drives. However, summer is usually when families need help the most. This is because kids are out of school and on break during this time. As a result, families have to provide children with 3 meals instead of having one (or two) covered by public school systems. This is precisely why Stamp Out Hunger takes place during May of every year.

How You Can Get Involved in the Next Stamp Out Hunger Drive

Want to get involved? To donate, all you need to do is place a box or can of non-perishable food next to your mailbox before your letter carrier delivers your mail. Your letter carrier will then take care of everything else. After it’s picked up, all the food gets sorted and delivered to local food banks, where it is available for needy families. Help your local letter carrier Stamp Out Hunger!