The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Scheduled for May 9

The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) will conduct its annual national food drive on Saturday, May 9. NALC's food drive, which was first held in 1983, helps feed millions of Americans.

The Stamp Out Hunger® Food Drive, the country's largest one-day food drive, provides residents with an easy way to donate food to those in need.  One in five individuals in Central Louisiana lacks enough food to live an active, healthy life.

Customers simply leave their donation of non-perishable food items next to their mailbox before the delivery of the mail on Saturday, May 9. Letter carriers will collect these food donations on that day as they deliver mail along their postal routes, and distribute them to local food banks, pantries, shelters and churches.  In central Louisiana, the food will be donated to the Food Bank of Alexandria.  Last year’s food drive provided nearly 20,000 pounds of food locally.

The timing is important, with food banks, pantries and shelters running low on donations from the winter holidays and with summer approaching, when most school meal programs are suspended.

On May 9, as they deliver mail, the nation's letter carriers will collect the donations that residents have left near their mailboxes. People are encouraged to leave a sturdy bag containing non-perishable foods, such as canned soup, canned vegetables, canned meats and fish, pasta, rice or cereal next to their mailbox before the regular mail delivery on Saturday. The food donations stay in each community, going to help local residents.

If people who have questions about the drive in their area should ask their letter carrier, contact their local post office, or contact the Food Bank of Central Louisiana at 318-445-2773.