Nation’s Largest Single-Day Food Drive Set for May 12 | Community Spirit

Every second Saturday in May letter carriers in more than 10,000 cities and towns across America deliver much more than mail when they walk and drive along their postal routes.

They also collect the goodness and compassion of their postal customers who participate in the NALC Stamp Out Hunger National Food Drive – the largest one-day food drive in the nation and probably the world.

Led by letter carriers represented by the National Association of Letter Carriers (AFL-CIO), with the help of rural letter carriers, other postal employees and numerous other volunteers, the drive has resulted in delivery of more than one billion pounds of donations to community food banks and pantries over the past 20 years.

Carriers collect non-perishable food donations left by mailboxes and in post offices and deliver them to local community food banks, pantries and shelters. Nearly 1,500 local NALC branches in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands are involved in the drive.

The U.S. Postal Service and Campbell Soup Company are major supporters of the drive. Campbell Soup also earmarked an additional 1 million pound canned food donation to the drive. Other supporters are AARP, Feeding America, Cox Target Media and its Valpak Direct Marketing Systems, the nationwide direct mail marketing firm, which promotes the drive on 40 million packets delivered to Postal customers.

The drive also relies on the backing of the National Rural Letter Carriers Association, the Feeding America food bank network, the United Way of America and its local United Ways, the AFL-CIO Community Services network, Uncle Bob's Self Storage and countless local sponsors.

Post cards and shopping bags promoting the food drive will be delivered by letter carriers to more than 90 million homes across the country as a reminder to participate in the drive.

In South Carolina, Publix Supermarkets provide 2.5 million food bags to be delivered to residents for their donations.  Provided for the first time statewide last year, food bags drove up donations from 273,305 lbs. to 382,627 lbs. of food.

The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive began at the local level in the late 1980s and went nationwide in 1992.

All citizens need do is to place a box or can of non-perishable food next to their mailbox before their letter carrier delivers mail on Saturday, May 12. The carrier will do all the rest. The food is taken back to a Post Office, sorted, and then delivered to an area food bank or pantry, such as Harvest Hope Food Bank, Low Country Food Bank or a local church or food kitchen. There it is available for needy families.

Some 35.5 million people face hunger every day in America, including 13 million children. This drive is one way people can help those right in their own city or town who need help.

The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive has received a number of accolades over the years, including two Presidential Certificates of Achievement.

Help the U.S. Postal Service Stamp Out Hunger!