By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
The National Association of Letter Carriers is asking Downbeach residents to join families nationwide to help “Stamp Out Hunger.” The 32nd annual Letter Carriers’ food drive is being held this Saturday, May 11 at households across the nation.
According to Gregory Kilar, the president of the NALC’s Atlantic City branch, the effort is the largest one-day food drive in the country, taking place in more than 10,000 cities, towns and villages in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Island. It’s when letter carriers collect food from your doorstep while they deliver the mail. Last year, letter carriers collected more than 80 million pounds of food and donated it to local food banks.
“As president of Branch 370, I’m urging people to donate,” Kilar said. “Simply fill the provided grocery bag with healthy, non-perishable food and set it by your mailbox Saturday morning to be picked up. Donations will be sorted and taken to local food pantries to feed the hungry.”
More than 1.9 billion pounds of food has been collected since the first food drive was held in 1993.
One in eight Americans, including millions of children, senior citizens and veterans are food insecure. The Stamp Out Hunger food drive helps relieve shortages not just during the holidays, but also during summer when children are not in school.
“Letter carriers know the struggles that people in their communities face – they see it every day,” NALC national President Brian L. Renfroe said in the May edition of “The Postal Record.” “For more than three decades, we’ve helped to meet their needs each May, and it’s time to pull off this annual miracle again.”
