AROOSTOOK COUNTY — Saturday, May 13, 2017, marks the 25th anniversary of America’s largest single day of giving: the National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.
Local post offices are joining the effort and invite residents to help. Just leave a non-perishable food donation in a bag by the mailbox on Saturday, May 13, and the postal carrier will do the rest. It’s that simple and millions of Americans will be helped.
The NALC holds the drive in partnership with the U.S. Postal Service, National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association, Valpak, United Way, AFL-CIO, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, AARP Foundation, local food banks and other partners.
Currently, 49 million Americans — one in six — are unsure where their next meal is coming from — including 13 million children and about five million seniors over age 60, many of whom live on fixed incomes and often are too embarrassed to ask for help. Studies have shown that lack of adequate nutrition affects cognitive and behavioral development in children.
In 2016, over 80 million pounds of food was collected by postal carriers nationally, feeding an estimated 64 million people. Over the course of the 24-year history, the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive has collected well over one billion pounds of food.
The food drive’s timing is crucial. Food banks and pantries often receive the majority of their donations during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons. By springtime, many pantries are depleted, entering the summer low on supplies at a time when many school breakfast and lunch programs are not available to children in need.
Follow this link to learn more about the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.
