The Washington Association of Letter Carriers, Branch 79, will be participating in the 17th annual National Association of Letter Carriers’ Food Drive to “Stamp Out Hunger” on Saturday.
The event is the nation’s largest one-day food drive to combat hunger. On Saturday, letter carriers will collect non-perishable donations from homes throughout King County as they deliver mail along their postal routes.
The goal is to collect more than three-quarters of a million pounds of food throughout the state, beating last year’s total of 740,000 pounds of food collected in one day. The new goal is the equivalent of more than 600,000 meals.
Across America carriers collected a record 73.1 million pounds of food in last year’s drive. The drive is held annually on the second Saturday in May in over 10,000 cities and towns in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
Locally, donations will be delivered to Food Lifeline and their more than 300 member food banks who will distribute it to hungry people in neighborhoods close to where the donations are collected.
Bio-degradable bags will be left in mailboxes next week for the collection process. Non-perishable food items are requested including cans and boxes. The Letter Carriers ask that no glass containers are included because of the risk of breakage. High protein food such as tuna, canned chicken and peanut butter are favorites on the suggestion list.
NALC President William H. Young emphasized that as successful as the food drive has been in the past, it simply must be even better this year.
“Millions and millions of families are suffering – struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table,” Young said. “More than ever food banks, pantries and shelters need our help this year. As families count on them for support, they’re counting on us and we must not back off on our commitment.”
Young also noted that donations are particularly critical at this time since most school lunch programs are suspended during the summer months and millions of children must find alternate sources of nutrition.
Persons who have any questions about the drive at their location should ask their letter carrier or contact their local post office.
Postcards, sponsored by the Campbell Soup Company and the U.S. Postal Service’s Priority Mail, will be mailed to postal customers on or around May 4th to remind residents of the drive.
Other co-sponsors of the drive with the letter carriers’ union are Feeding America, formerly known as America’s Second Harvest, the nation’s food bank network; the United Way of America and its local United Ways; QFC; the John L. Scott Foundation; and the AFL-CIO.
