Letter carriers need your help to Stamp Out Hunger May 12

Letter carriers throughout northern Illinois will Stamp Out Hunger on Saturday, May 12, when the annual food drive celebrates its 20th year.

That day, letter carriers will collect nonperishable food donations from homes as they deliver mail along their routes. The National Association of Letter Carriers Food Drive - held in conjunction with the U. S. Postal Service - is the largest one-day food drive in the nation.

The joint effort will help feed families in all 50 states. Last year, 70.4 million pounds of food was collected across the country, resulting in more than 1 billion pounds of food collected since the drive began 20 years ago.

Closer to home, letter carriers at local post offices are getting ready for this year's event and hoping to exceed last year's totals of food collected.

"With the commitment of the community, postal employees and volunteers, post offices throughout the region are excited and ready to participate in this year's food drive," said postal service spokesman Sean Hargadon. "We're asking everyone throughout the community to help us make this the most successful food drive in its 20-year history. Leaving a donation is as simple as leaving a bag of nonperishable food by your mailbox."

To participate in the 20th annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive, people are encouraged to leave a sturdy bag containing nonperishable foods, such as canned soup, canned vegetables, pasta, rice or cereal next to their mailbox before mail is delivered that day. Local letter carriers will collect these food donations as they deliver the mail and take them to the local food bank.

"Many families are struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table during these challenging economic times," Hargadon said. "Food banks, pantries and shelters appreciate the generous support from the community as more families seek assistance."

Partners of this year's drive are the Campbell Soup Company, Feeding America, United Way, AFL-CIO, Valpak, AARP, Uncle Bob's Self Storage and the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association.