Chicago IL – The 27th annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive by the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), will be held on Saturday, May 11. 

Last year’s Food Drive collected 71.6 million pounds nationwide.  Chicago letter carriers collected 322,623 pounds last year and nearly 1 million pounds of food the last two years.

The Stamp Out Hunger® Food Drive is the country’s largest single-day food drive. It is held annually on the second Saturday in May in 10,000 cities and towns in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam.  In the 27 years since it began, the annual food drive has collected almost 1.6 billion pounds of food. 

Hunger affects about 50 million people around the country, including millions of children, senior citizens and veterans.

Making a donation is easy.  Customers should leave their non-perishable food donations in a bag near their mailbox on Saturday, May 11, before their letter carrier arrives.  In the days leading up to the food drive, letter carriers will be delivering special bags along with your mail that may be used to make donations. Food collected during Saturday’s drive will be delivered to local community churches, food banks and food pantries for distribution.

While all non-perishable donations are welcome, foods that are high in protein such as canned tuna, salmon, beans and peanut butter are most needed. Canned fruits and vegetables, whole grain, low sugar cereals, macaroni and cheese dinners and 100% fruit juice also top the list of most needed items.

For additional information about this year’s Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, visit stampouthungerfooddrive.us.

Food Drive TIPS

WHAT TO GIVE: Most-wanted foods include:

• Canned meats (tuna, chicken, salmon).
• Canned and boxed meals (soup, chili, stew, macaroni and cheese).
• Canned or dried beans and peas (black, pinto, lentils).
• Pasta, rice cereal.
• Canned fruits.
• 100 percent fruit juice (canned, plastic or boxed).
• Canned vegetables.
• Cooking oil.
• Boxed cooking mixes (pancake, breads).

WHAT NOT TO GIVE:

• Rusty or unlabeled cans.
• Glass containers.
• Perishable items.
• Homemade items.
• No expired items
• Noncommercial canned or packaged items.
• Alcoholic beverages or mixes or soda.
• Open or used items.

###