Mail carriers will collect food for drive May 12

On May 12, local communities across Arkansas and America will be asked to join the U.S. Postal Service and its letter carriers to combat one of this nation’s growing problems — hunger.

About 50 million Americans — including 17 million children — now live in families that lack sufficient food.

The Postal Service, the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), Campbell Soup Company, Feeding America and other partner organizations are working together to collect food donations on May 12. It is the nation’s largest single-day food drive in local communities across America — including Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands.

Now in its 20th year, the Stamp Out Hunger food drive benefits Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization.

“The Postal Service is pleased to continue supporting the National Association of Letter Carriers as we enter our 20th year together to help Stamp Out Hunger in America,” said Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe. “I am confident the 2012 campaign will be our best ever because the need continues to grow.”

In 2011, letter carriers collected 70.2 million pounds of food donated by customers on their delivery routes, which marked the eighth consecutive year the total food collection was at least

70 million pounds. Arkansas collected 315,494 pounds of food donated by customers.

This year, Nick Cannon, multi-talented entertainer and member of the Feeding America Entertainment Council, is the national spokesperson for the Stamp Out Hunger food drive for the second consecutive year. The drive particularly hits home for Cannon, who experienced hunger and visited food pantries as a child. Cannon will promote the drive on television and radio, as well as in print and social media to encourage even greater participation and donations.

To participate in the 20th Stamp Out Hunger food drive, 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 mail delivery on Saturday, May 12. Letter carriers will collect these food donations as they deliver the mail and take them to their local food bank or pantry.

Post cards and shopping bags promoting the food drive will be delivered by letter carriers to more than 90 million homes across the country as a reminder to participate in the drive.

Other partner organizations supporting the Stamp Out Hunger food drive are the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association, Valpak, United Way, AFL-CIO, Uncle Bob’s Self-Storage and AARP.

The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive began at the local level in the late 1980s and went nationwide in 1992.

For more information about the annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive, visit www.helpstampouthunger.com or www.facebook.com/StampOutHunger, and follow the drive at www.twitter.com/StampOutHunger.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.