Background:
Saturday, May 12 marks the 26th anniversary of America’s largest-single day of giving — the National Association of Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive in partnership with the U.S. Postal Service, National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association, Valpak, United Way, AFL-CIO, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, AARP Foundation, Capital Area Food Bank and other partners.

Currently, 42 million Americans — one in six — are unsure where their next meal is coming from — including 13 million children and about five million seniors over age 50, many of whom live on fixed incomes and often are too embarrassed to ask for help. Studies have shown that lack of adequate nutrition affects cognitive and behavioral development in children.

In 2017, Postal Service carriers collected over 75 million pounds of food nationally, feeding an estimated 30 million people. That was the third-highest amount since the food drive began in 1993. Over the past quarter century, the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive has collected well over one billion pounds of food.

The food drive’s timing is crucial. 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.

How the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Works

Just leave a non-perishable food donation in a bag by the mailbox on Saturday, May 12, and the Postal carrier will do the rest. It’s that simple and millions of Americans will be helped.

Learn more about the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive today!

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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