Press release from MANNA Food Bank:
May 8, 2023 – The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) will conduct its annual national food drive this Saturday, May 13. NALC’s food drive, first held in 1993, helps feed millions of Americans, including right here in Western North Carolina.
The Stamp Out Hunger® Food Drive, the country’s largest one-day food drive, provides residents with an easy way to donate food to those in need.
Customers simply leave their donation of non-perishable food items next to their mailbox on Saturday, May 13. Letter carriers will collect these food donations on that day as they deliver mail along their postal routes, and distribute them to local food banks, pantries, shelters and churches.
“Letter carriers are a part of every neighborhood in the nation,” NALC President Fredric Rolando said, “and we see the growing need for food assistance in our communities. On Saturday, May 13, NALC invites everyone to participate in the annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. Together, we can help stamp out hunger in America.”
The timing is important, with food banks, pantries and shelters across WNC seeing growing numbers of families needing emergency food support.
“We are now serving over 130,000 people every single month across WNC,” said Dr. Claire Neal, Chief Executive Officer for MANNA FoodBank. “Many seniors are turning to us, as well as families with children, and across the board we are hearing that households can’t make ends meet with the skyrocketing costs of living. That is why we are more grateful than ever for this partnership with the letter carriers, and to every single person who takes the time to set out a food donation at their mailbox during this incredible nationwide effort.”
“Our local letter carriers are excited and ready to collect food donations for local families,” said Tavon Wells, with Branch 248 NALC WNC. “We know how much families are struggling right now, with the high prices of food and more, and this is one way we can all come together to help make a difference for our neighbors.”
On May 13, as they deliver mail, the nation’s 200,000 letter carriers will collect the donations that residents have left near their mailboxes. People are encouraged to leave a sturdy bag (or bags) containing non-perishable foods, such as canned soup, canned vegetables, canned meats and fish, pasta, rice or cereal before the regular mail delivery on Saturday. The food donations stay in each community, going to help local residents.
“Stamp Out Hunger is such an important food drive for us,” said Lisa Reynolds, Director of Food Sourcing for MANNA FoodBank. “We are so thankful for the incredible partnership with the letter carriers for helping us collect these donations, so that everyone can have a chance to help out.”
People who have questions about the drive in their area can ask their letter carrier, contact their local post office, or go to nalc.org/food-drive, facebook.com/StampOutHunger or twitter.com/StampOutHunger.
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