Saturday, May 13 marks the 31st 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, knowing that many of our neighbors face food insecurity. So, each year on the second Saturday in May, letter carriers across the country collect non-perishable food donations from our customers. Local donations go directly to local food pantries to provide food to people in Grant County.

Over the course of its 30-year history, the drive has collected well over 1.82 billion pounds of food, thanks to a postal service universal delivery network that spans the entire nation, including Puerto Rico, Guam and U.S. Virgin Islands. The need for food donations is great. Currently, more than 42 million Americans are unsure where their next meal is coming from. More than twelve million are children who feel hunger's impact on their overall health and ability to perform in school.

New Mexico has one of the highest rates of food insecurity for children in the nation. In the U.S. nearly 5.2 million seniors over age 60 are food insecure, with many who live on fixed incomes often too embarrassed to ask for help.

The timing of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) food drive 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.

“Participating in this year's Letter Carrier Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is simple. Just leave a non-perishable food donation in a bag by your mailbox Saturday, May 13, 2023 and your letter carrier will do the rest,” explained Jerry Prejean, president of the local NALC chapter. “Please make sure your donation does not include expired food items. Any expired items collected will be discarded.” With the help of postal customers, letter carriers and the US Postal Service have collected over 1.82 billion pounds of food in the United States over the 30 years as a national food drive. “Please help letter carriers across the country in our fight to end hunger, as we celebrate our 31st anniversary year in America's great day of giving,” said Prejean.