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No empty tummies! 15th Annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive coming soon

The 15th annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is scheduled for Saturday, May 12. Letter carriers in more than 10,000 cities and towns across America will collect nonperishable food items donated by customers. The event is the largest annual one-day food drive in the world.

Campbell Soup Company and the U.S. Postal Service are major supporters of the drive. The success is in its sim­plicity. All citizens need to do is place their donated items next to their mailbox before their letter carrier delivers the mail Saturday, May 12. The carriers do the rest, taking the items back to their stations, where they will be sorted and delivered to area food banks or pantries. Postal customers of some New York City and Chicago Post Offices are asked to take their food donations to their local participating Post Office.

An estimated 35 million people face hunger every day in America, including more than 9 million children. In 2006, the drive collected more than 70 million pounds of food — and more than three quarters of a billion pounds since its inception 15 years ago. The drive is one way to help those who need help, right in their own city or town.