Every NALC branch in the nation should be involved in the 13th annual NALC National Food Drive on May 14 – the second Saturday in May, NALC President William H. Young urges in a letter being mailed to all branch presidents. He also noted that NALC members are in a unique position to conduct what has become the greatest community service activity in the American labor movement.

"No other people in America can possibly do what we can to fight hunger, reaching to every city and town, in every neighborhood and on every street," Young said. "That's why our drive is so successful and helps millions of people during the critical summer months when food bank supplies are historically low."

Young said hunger remains a daily concern for some 30 million Americans, especially children, who are without school lunch programs during the summer, and the elderly who are often forced to choose between needed medication and food.

Postmaster General John E. Potter, in a December 2 letter to Young endorsing the drive, noted that the hard work displayed in this effort helps thousands of disadvantaged Americans.

"We look forward to working with the caring and dedicated members of the NALC – valued members of the Postal Service family – to reach out and make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate through the annual NALC Food Drive," Potter said. "This selfless act of charity demonstrates the compassion and generosity of postal employees and customers in every community in the United States."

Young welcomed Campbell Soup Company and Valpak Direct Marketing Systems as major supporters of the drive again in 2005. Campbell Soup Company and the Postal Service will again fund the printing of about 110 million postcards that will be mailed by the Postal Service to postal customers just before the May 14 drive. Valpak plans to mail out about 40 million packets in envelopes encouraging donations.

Also returning this year as principal non-profit sponsors of the drive are the U. S. Postal Service; America's Second Harvest, the nation's largest food bank network; the AFL-CIO, and United Way of America and local United Ways. The drive also has the backing of longtime friend Bil Keane, creator of the "Family Circus" cartoon who has again provided new artwork for use in making posters, fliers, T-shirts, buttons, plastic and paper bags, banners and billboards.

Registration forms for the 2005 drive will be mailed soon to all branch presidents. Completed forms should be returned to NALC Headquarters no later than February 1.

The Executive Committee of the Postal Employees' Relief Fund (PERF), meeting in Washington December 9, approved the first set of grants to victims of last summer's wave of hurricanes that struck Florida and other East Coast states. The hurricanes resulted in damage to homes of hundreds of active and retired postal employees. In all, $93,000 in grants were approved for payment at the monthly meeting, of which $76,000 were hurricane-related.

The total included four grants to retired letter carriers, the first such payments since Fund Grantors, at the request of NALC President William H. Young, expanded eligibility criteria to include individuals who are retired from the Postal Service. Previously, only active postal employees had been eligible.

More than 200 other applications from hurricane victims employed by or retired from the Postal Service are in the process of being reviewed by the Executive Committee and special subcommittees established in Florida.

Checks signed by the president of the victims' respective union or management association and Postmaster General John E. Potter were in the process of being mailed to the 20 recipients approved at the December 9 meeting.

Victims of the hurricanes or subsequent flooding as well as other natural disasters or house fires can attain application forms and additional information at the Fund's website: www.postalrelief.com. The Fund provides grants ranging from $2,000 to $35,000 to eligible postal victims, depending on the amount of out-of-pocket loss after insurance and other relief.

President Young is one of the eight Grantors who oversee the Fund. Drew Von Bergen, NALC Director of Public Relations, is the union's representative on the Fund's Executive Committee which handles day-to-day activity and approves grant applications. He also serves as Chairman of the Executive Committee.