Letter: The great day of giving is soon upon us

Saturday marks the 27th anniversary of one of America’s great days of giving — the National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food drive.

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

So, each year on the second Saturday in May, letter carriers across the country collect non-perishable food donations from our customers. The donations we collect locally go directly to the Madera food bank to provide food to people who need our help.

Last year, we collected 71.6 million pounds of food nationally. Over the course of its 26-year history, the drive has collected 1.67 billion pounds of food, thanks to a Postal Service universal delivery network that spans the entire nation, including Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The need for food donations is great. Almost 50 million Americans — 1 in 6 — are unsure where their next meal is coming from. Among them are millions of children, senior citizens and military veterans.

Our food drive’s timing is crucial. Food banks and pantries typically receive the bulk of their donations during the winter holiday season. By springtime, many pantries are depleted, entering the summer low on supplies at a time when many school meal programs are not available to children in need.

Participating in the Letter Carrier Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is easy. Just leave a nonperishable food donation in a bag by your mailbox on Saturday before mail delivery, and your letter carrier will do the rest. Please help us in the fight to end hunger, as we celebrate our 27th anniversary year in America’s great day of giving.

— Sincerely,

Alyssa Woodall,

Letter Carrier,

Madera