The National Association of Letter Carriers, (NALC) will conduct its 26th annual national food drive on Saturday, May 12. The Stamp Out Hunger® Food Drive, the country’s largest single-day food drive, provides residents with an easy way to donate food to those in need in the community.
Customers simply leave their donation of non-perishable goods next to their mailbox before the delivery of the mail on Saturday, May 12. Letter carriers will collect these food donations on that day as they deliver mail along their postal routes. In Middle Tennessee, the donated food will be distributed to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee and its network of Partner Agencies throughout 46-counties in Middle and West Tennessee, ensuring that all donated food remains in the county in which it is donated.
“Stamp Out Hunger is like no other food drive as it allows every community across the country to collectively come together on one day to do their part to fight hunger. We are so grateful to the individuals who donate non-perishable items and for the letter carriers who take the time to collect each bag to help fight hunger in our 46-county service area,” said Jaynee Day, President and CEO of Second Harvest.
Stamp Out Hunger is the opportune time for the public to help those at risk of hunger. According to Feeding America’s recently released Map the Meal Gap 2018 study, more than 362,020 people across Second Harvest’s 46-country service area are food insecure, which is defined as limited or uncertain access to adequate food. Other key findings include:
- 1 in 8 Middle Tennesseans, including 1 in 5 children struggle with hunger.
- In Smith County, 12.2 percent of the population including 880 children are considered food insecure.
Letter carriers see these struggles in the communities they serve, and they believe it’s important to do what they can to help. On Saturday, May 12, as they deliver mail, the nation’s 212,000 letter carriers will collect donations left by residents near their mailboxes. People are encouraged to leave a sturdy bag – paper or plastic – containing non-perishable foods such as peanut butter, canned chicken or tuna and canned fruits or vegetables.
The 26th annual food drive provides, on average, 30 percent of Second Harvest’s annual food drive donations and helps give assistance to Tennesseans struggling to put food on the table. Last year, 730,047 pounds were donated within Second Harvest’s 46-county service area, and, 75 million pounds of food was collected last year throughout the country.
The Stamp Out Hunger food drive was created in 1993 by the National Association of Letter Carriers to encourage communities to come together in an effort to stock the shelves of food banks and pantries nationwide. Today, the Stamp Out Hunger food drive is held in 10,000 cities and towns across the country. As the drive celebrates its 26th anniversary, Stamp Out Hunger has collected more than 1.5 billion pounds of food, thanks to a postal service universal delivery network that spans the entire nation, including Puerto Rico, Guam and U.S. Virgin Islands.
About Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee
For 40 years, Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee has followed its mission of feeding hungry people and finding innovative ways to solve hunger issues in our communities. As a private, not-for-profit and tax-exempt organization, Second Harvest distributes food and other products to approximately 490 nonprofit Partner Agencies in 46 counties in Middle and West Tennessee. Our partners include food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, childcare facilities, senior centers, group homes, and youth enrichment programs. For more information about Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, its mission and programs, please visitsecondharvestmidtn.org.
About National Association of Letter Carriers
The 280,000-member National Association of Letter Carriers represents letter carriers across the country employed by the U.S. Postal Service, along with retired letter carriers. Founded by Civil War veterans in 1889, the NALC is among the country’s oldest labor unions.
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