SAN DIEGO — Saturday, May 9 marks the 23rd anniversary of one of America’s great days of giving — the National Association of Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.

Letter carriers walk through the community every day, often coming face to face with a sad reality for too many, hunger. So, each year on the second Saturday in May, letter carriers across the country collect non-perishable food donations from Postal Service customers. These donations go directly to local food pantries to provide food to people in San Diego County who need our help.

Participating in this year’s Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is simple. Customers can leave a non-perishable food donation in a bag by their mailbox on Saturday, May 9 and their letter carrier will do the rest. Everyone is invited to join in America’s great day of giving and help fight hunger.

Last year, more than 74 million pounds of food was collected nationally, feeding an estimated 30 million people. Over the course of its 22-year history, the drive has collected well over one billion pounds of food, thanks to a Postal Service’s universal delivery network that spans the entire nation, including Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The need for food donations is great. Currently, 49 million American — one in six — are unsure where their next meal is coming from. Sixteen million are children who feel hunger’s impact on their overall health and ability to perform in school. And nearly 5 million seniors over age 60 are food insecure, with many who live on fixed incomes and are often too embarrassed to ask for help.

The food drive’s timing is critical. Food banks and pantries often receive the majority of their donations during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons. By springtime, many pantries are depleted, entering the summer low on supplies at a time when many school breakfast and lunch programs are not available to children in need.

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