Letter carriers to help with meeting food needs for poor

Saturday, May 11 marks the 27th anniversary of one of America's great days of giving -- the National Association of Letter Carriers Stamps 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 nonperishable food donations from our customers. These donations go directly to local food pantries to provide food to people in Southeast Missouri who need our help.

Last year, we collected over 71.6 million pounds of food nationally, feeding an estimated 64 million people. Over the course of its 26-year history, the drive has collected well over 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. Currently, 42 million Americans -- 1 in 6 -- are unsure where their next meal is coming from. Sixteen million are children who feel hunger's impact on their overall health and ability to perform in school. And nearly 5 million seniors over age 60 are food insecure, with many who live on fixed incomes often too embarrassed to ask for help.

Our food drive's timing is crucial. Food banks and pantries often receive the majority of their donations during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons. By springtime, many pantries are depleted, entering the summer low on supplies at a time when many school breakfast and lunch programs are not available to children in need.

Participating in the year's Letter Carrier Stamp Out Hunger food Drive is simple. Just leave a nonperishable food donation in a bag by your mailbox on Saturday, May 11 and your letter carrier will do the rest. With your help, letter carriers and the U.S. Postal Service have collected over 1.67 billion pounds of food in the United States over the 26 years as a national food drive. Please help us in our fight to end hunger, as we celebrate our 27th anniversary year in America's great day of giving.

Kraig Shafer is a letter carrier in Cape Girardeau.