5/3/07

Help the U.S. Postal Service stamp out hunger on May 12!
By Cathy Gilbert

On Saturday, May 12, 2007, letter carriers in more than 10,000 cities and towns, including Manning, Summerton, Turbeville and Alcolu, will collect non-perishable food items donated by customers and deliver them to local community food banks, pantries, and shelters as part of the 15th annual NALC Food Drive. Postal employees in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands will participate in the world’s largest one-day food drive, which has resulted in delivery of over three-quarters of a billion pounds of donations to community food banks and pantries over the past 14 years.

An estimated 35 million people are at risk of hunger in America, including 12 million children. Around late spring, most food banks begin running out of donations received during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday periods. This drive is one way people can join the U.S. Postal Service, Campbell Soup Company, America’s Second Harvest, local United Ways, Cox Target Media, the AFL-CIO Community Services Network, and other local sponsors to help stamp out hunger in communities across the country.

How it works

More than 115 million postcards will be mailed to customers in towns and cities throughout America letting them know how they can help. Customers who do not receive a postcard can check with their local post office to find out if it is participating in the drive this year.

On Saturday, May 12, customers are asked to place non-perishable food items next to their mailbox before their letter carrier delivers the mail. The letter carrier will do the rest, taking the food to the post office where it is sorted and delivered to an area food bank or pantry.

Visit www.stampout-hunger.com for more information and to sign up to receive an e-mail reminder to place non-perishable food items next to your mailbox on Saturday, May 12.