On Saturday, May 9, people in many communities in the country will have an opportunity to help local food pantries as Campbell Soup Company and the National Association of Letter Carriers join forces to stamp out hunger.
This is the nation’s largest one-day food drive, in which people can leave nonperishable food items at their mailbox for mail carriers to pick up and deliver to food pantries.
Since its start in 1993, this program has collected more than 909 million pounds of food, with a record collected last year of more than 73 million pounds.
Organizers say the need is greater this year than ever. America’s Second Harvest (now known as Feeding America) – a national distributor of food – reported a dramatic increase in people seeking food aid in late 2007, with the demand increasing throughout 2008 into early 2009.
A food bank solicits, receives, inventories, stores and distributes food and grocery products from various sources. Then the food pantry distributes food directly to people in need, as well as to shelters and organizations that need it.
“In these difficult economic times, hunger is an issue that must be addressed in every community across our country,” said William H. Young, NALC president. “We see it daily out on our routes. That’s why now, more than ever before, we need everybody’s help to make a real difference.”
To help Stamp Out Hunger this year, simply leave a sturdy bag containing non-perishable foods – like canned items, pasta, rice, or cereal – next to your mailbox prior to the time of regular mail delivery on May 9. Food items should be in non-breakable containers, such as boxes and cans. The nation’s 230,000 letter carriers will be collecting donations from homes across the country.
Children in need
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 36 million Americans live in “food insecure households,” and approximately one in every three of these Americans is a child. Additionally, a recent survey by the Feeding America food bank members reported a 30 percent increase in requests for emergency food assistance.
The reasons cited for this dramatic increase in demand included the rising cost of food, increasing unemployment and underemployment, the cost of fuel, and the burden of mortgage or rent costs.
Food banks are also usual empty during summer months, having exhausted the supply of donations received from food drives conducted during the holidays that are then distributed during spring.
And during summer, children in need no longer have the benefit of their school lunch program.
“When schools let out for summer, many children will no longer receive daily meals through the National School Lunch Program,” said David Arquette, chairman of Feeding America’s Entertainment Council. “Please join me, my wife Courteney and millions of other generous Americans on Saturday, May 9, by placing a food donation next to your mailbox for the Letter Carrier’s Food Drive to help Stamp Out Hunger!”
Campbell Soup to help out
As part of its support for the drive, Campbell will donate one million pounds of food to food banks across the country and is sponsoring a reminder postcard mailing, which will be sent to 120 million homes.
“Our corporate mission is to nourish people’s lives everywhere, everyday,” said Sean Connolly, president, Campbell USA. “Campbell’s ongoing commitment to the letter carriers’ food drive allows our company to make a meaningful contribution towards resolving the critical issue of hunger.”
For more information about the annual Stamp Out Hunger effort in your community, ask your letter carrier, contact your local post office, or visit www.helpstampouthunger.com.