On Saturday, May 12, Central Louisiana letter carriers will again work to Stamp Out Hunger! with the help of the residence in our community. Now in its 20th year, the Stamp out Hunger effort is the nation’s largest single-day food drive. In 2011, drive organizers across the country collected more than 70 million pounds of food donations.



To participate in the Stamp out Hunger drive, central Louisiana residents are encouraged to leave a sturdy bag containing non-perishable foods, such as canned soup, canned vegetables, pasta, rice or cereal, next to their mailbox prior to the time of regular delivery on Saturday, May 12. Local letter carriers will collect these food donations as they deliver the mail and take them to The Food Bank of Central Louisiana.



Despite the generosity of millions of Americans who have supported the letter carriers’ food drive in previous years, the need for food assistance still exists for many families. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual study measuring food security in the United States, nearly 49 million Americans, including more than 16 million children, are struggling with hunger.



The Stamp Out Hunger food drive, held annually on the second Saturday in May, has become the nation’s largest single-day food drive. This year letter carriers representing nearly 1,500 local branches of the postal union will collect food donations along their postal routes. These donations will be used to replenish food banks and pantries in more than 10,000 communities.

”It’s our 20th anniversary,” NALC President Fredric Rolando noted. “For two decades now, our annual national drive has proved critical in helping millions of American families—our customers—who are struggling to make ends meet during this continuing recession.

“Each year, the second Saturday in May is a day when all citizens have an opportunity, with the help of their letter carrier, to easily donate food to needy families in their community,” he said.

“We are extremely pleased to be working with the National Association of Letter Carriers during this food drive,” said Jayne Wright-Velez, executive director of the Food Bank. “By taking a leadership role in the fight against domestic hunger, the NALC continues to make a significant impact in the lives of many needy Americans.”



For more information about the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive or the Food Bank of Central Louisiana, please call 318.445.2773.



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Linda Hutson

Director of Development & Community Relations

Food Bank of Central Louisiana

lhutson@fbcenla.org

318.445.2773