Letter carriers walk through our community every day, often coming face-to-face with a sad reality for too many, hunger.

On Saturday, May 14th, the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) will collect food donations to provide assistance to the millions of Americans who are struggling with hunger.  Celebrating its 24th anniversary this year, the Stamp Out Hunger food drive is the nation’s largest single-day food drive, having collected more than one billion pounds of food since its inception as a national food drive in 1993. 

Source - NE Iowa Food Bank - Stamp Out Hunger
Source - NE Iowa Food Bank - Stamp Out Hunger
loading...

The nation’s 180,000 letter carriers will collect food donations left at the mailboxes of Americans in more than 10,000 communities and deliver them to food banks and other hunger-relief organizations.

Each year on the second Saturday in May, letter carriers across the country collect nonperishable food donations. These donations go directly to local food pantries to provide food to people in our community who need our help. Last year’s drive brought 33,582 pounds to the Northeast Iowa Food Bank, St Vincent de Paul and the Salvation Army.

On the morning of Saturday, May14th, leave a nonperishable food donation in a bag near your mailbox and your letter carrier or a volunteer will make sure it gets delivered to the Northeast Iowa Food Bank for distribution in the community. The drive will take place rain or shine. The cities of Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Evansdale, Oelwein, Reinbeck, New Hampton, Grundy Center, and Waverly will be involved this year.

Waterloo, Cedar Falls and Evansdale food will be given to the Northeast Iowa Food Bank to distribute within Black Hawk County. The other cities will distribute the food raised to their local pantries.

Wonder what foods are great to donate to the food drive?  Here are a few non-perishable food items requested by the Northeast Iowa Food Bank:

  • Pasta
  • Rice • Canned fruits and vegetables
  • Canned meals such as soups, chili, pasta 
  • 100% juice
  • Peanut butter 
  • Canned pasta sauce or spaghetti sauce
  •  Macaroni & cheese
  •  Canned protein – tuna, chicken, turkey
  •  Beans – canned or dry
  • Cereal

 

More From 97.7 KCRR