Letter carriers help 'Stamp Out Hunger' thanks to annual national food drive

The 20th anniversary 2012 Food Drive is scheduled for Saturday, May 12.

NALC branches throughout the country have their sights set this year on another successful Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive effort on Saturday, May 12—the country’s largest single-day drive to help needy families fight hunger in America.

The need for food assistance has never been greater. According to the Agriculture Department, in 2009 the number of Americans living in so-called “food insecure” homes topped 50 million. Of those, 17.2 million are children.

Hundreds of NALC branches already are registered to participate in the 2012 drive. Any branch that has not yet registered should do so as soon as possible.

“Millions of Americans depend on the food we collect to help carry them through the summer months," NALC President Fredric V. Rolando said. “I urge every NALC branch and member—active and retired—to begin immediately to work with local officials in preparing for the food drive.”

The drive has become so successful over the years in more than 10,000 cities and towns that it is now part of the fabric of fighting hunger in America. Food banks literally circle the second Saturday in May on their calendars, knowing that carriers will again fill their shelves—shelves that, by then, will be depleted of holiday-time donations.

Many large branches boost collections by delivering customers donated plastic and paper bags.

NALC Community Services Coordinator Linda Giordano is again directing this year’s drive.

The national drive, which began with a pilot program in 1991, is held each year on the second Saturday in May—which this year falls on May 12.

Read more about the Food Drive

2011 Food Drive results web page.

July 2011: Super Saturday: 2011 NALC Food Drive arrives in the nick of time for victims of natural and economic disasters.

June 2011: A beautiful day: NALC Food Drive, May 14

April 2011: National, necessary: 19th annual food drive confronts scourge of hunger in America

March 2011: Food Drive preparations heat up

June 2010 Postal Record: One billion pounds of caring

May 14, 2010 Bulletin: Letter Carriers Top 1 Billion Lbs. In 18 Years of Annual Food Drive