Annual USPS Food Drive This Weekend

This Saturday, the U.S. Postal Service will conduct its 21st annual  "Stamp Out Hunger” food drive.

Washington state's Yakima Herald reports, "The food drive, which the USPS says is the largest single-day food collection event in the country, aims to provide relief for the nearly 50 million people in the U.S. who struggle with hunger. That’s about 1 in 6 people."

To donate to the food drive, community members can leave a bag of nonperishable food at their mailbox or wherever the letter carrier normally delivers their mail. Local carriers will pick up the food throughout the day and bring it to the food bank. 

According to the article, "Last year, the drive collected more than 70 million pounds of food, making it the ninth consecutive year that brought in at least 70 million pounds. In its 20 years so far, Stamp Out Hunger has collected more than 1 billion pounds of food."

Acceptable nonperishable food items include canned soup, canned vegetables, fruits and juices, canned meats and fish, pasta, rice and boxed goods such as cereal. 

Joining the Postal Service in this annual effort are the National Association of Letter Carriers, National Rural Carriers Association, AFCIO, Feeding America, United Way and Campbell Soup. All food and donations collected will go directly to local charities and food pantries associated with the individual Post Offices.

For more on the "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive, click here.