‘Stamp Out Hunger’ Food Drive Is Saturday

May 10, 2019

On Saturday, the letter carriers of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties will join forces to help Stamp Our Hunger. In its 27th year, the National Association of Letter Carriers’ (NALC) annual food drive has grown to be the largest national single-day effort that benefits millions of Americans who struggle to put food on the table.

In the last 27 years, communities across the nation have donated 1.67 billion pounds of food. Last year’s food drive netted 71.6 million pounds of food to help feed those in need. Locally, organizations received nearly 125,000 pounds of food from the drive.

“Stamp Out Hunger is the most important food drive for many food pantries in the area,” said DeDe Flounlacker, executive director of Manna. “The food collected by the letter carriers is critical to our ability to feed our neighbors in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Every donation helps ensure the immediate needs of the hungry can be met in the coming months.”

A donation of just one dozen cans provides three days’ worth of food, or nine meals for neighbors in need. Residents are encouraged to leave a bag of non-perishable food items, such as canned chicken, canned tuna, canned fruit in 100% juice, dry breakfast items (oatmeal, grits, whole grain cereal), canned vegetables, peanut butter, rice, and/or dry beans next to their mailbox prior to regular mail delivery on Saturday, May 11.

Escambia and Santa Rosa letter carriers will collect food donations for local food banks including Manna Food Pantries and Feeding the Gulf Coast.

“We are so thankful to the NALC and our community for their support in this food drive. This food will greatly help our one in six neighbors struggling with hunger,” said Cathy Pope, President and CEO of Feeding the Gulf Coast. In Escambia County, one in five individuals are food insecure.

Comments

2 Responses to “‘Stamp Out Hunger’ Food Drive Is Saturday”

  1. Me on May 10th, 2019 10:01 pm

    As a rural carier I ask that you place your donations within reach of the driver as they approach your mailbox, to reduce strain on carriers as they continue through there routes. Thank you for all donations.

  2. Denbroc on May 10th, 2019 5:59 am

    I know Manna receives no government monies. For all of us that want less government and more “people helping people” this is certainly a way to affirm our belief.