Help "Stamp Out Hunger" with the Letter Carriers Food Drive
Saturday, May 14, 2011
You don't even have to leave home -- just place a bag of non-perishable food by your mailbox on Saturday, May 14, BEFORE the regular time your mail gets delivered, and your letter carrier will deliver the food to the local food bank. It's that easy!
Here are some suggested items:
- Rice and pasta
- Canned fruits and vegetables
- Tuna or other canned meats
- Soups and stews
- Peanut butter
- Cereal
Now in its 19th year, the Stamp Out Hunger food drive, which is always held on the second Saturday in May, has become the nation's largest single-day food drive. Last year, a record total of 77.1 million pounds of food donations was collected by U.S. Post Office branches across the country. Since its inception, more than a billion pounds of food donations have been collected to help needy families fight hunger in America.
The need for food assistance has never been greater. According to the Department of Agriculture, a recent study of food security found that in 2009, more than 50 million Americans are at risk of going hungry. Of those, 17.2 million are children.
In the Bay Area, our food banks serve 500,000 people every month. Through 1,560 food pantries, children's programs, shelters, soup kitchens, residential programs and other emergency food providers, Bay Area food banks distribute 135 million pounds of food each year with dignity and compassion.
For more information about this food drive, go to http://www.helpstampouthunger.com.
To learn about the food bank serving your neighborhood, go to http://bayareahunger.org.
