SAINT PAUL, Minn., April 26 More than 2,000 letter carriers throughout the seven-county metro area will participate in Stamp Out Hunger on May 8, 2010, in an effort to collect food for those in need throughout the Twin Cities. Stamp Out Hunger is the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) annual food drive that locally supports Second Harvest Heartland, the Upper Midwest's largest hunger-relief organization.
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"As letter carriers, we have a rare opportunity to see just how many men, women, children and families are struggling financially in neighborhoods across the Twin Cities," said Pam Donato, president, National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 9, Minneapolis. "Participating in Stamp Out Hunger allows us to do something positive for those most in need."
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According to Donato, metro-area letter carriers collected nearly 1.1 million pounds of food during last year's one-day food drive. This year's metro-wide goal is to collect 1.3 million pounds of food.
"Throughout our service area, the need for emergency hunger relief has nearly doubled since 2005, which means that hunger in our communities is a growing problem," said Rob Zeaske, executive director of Second Harvest Heartland. "But it's a problem that we can do something about by supporting our letter carriers and simply making a trip to the mailbox on May 8."
In the coming weeks, postal customers will receive a blue Stamp Out Hunger donation bag with their mail. They simply need to fill the bag with non-perishable, non-breakable food items and leave it by their mailbox on May 8. Letter carriers from Minneapolis Branch 9 and St. Paul Branch 28 will collect the donations as they deliver the mail on their regular metro and suburban residential routes in the seven-county metro area. The food will be unloaded from postal vehicles at 22 Cub Foods locations throughout the afternoon and will then be shipped to Second Harvest Heartland's Minneapolis Service Center, located at 3100 California Street NE, for distribution to area food shelves.
The public can also support Stamp Out Hunger now through Sunday, May 9 by texting the word HUNGER to 27722 to donate $5 on behalf of Stamp Out Hunger to Second Harvest Heartland (message and data rates may apply) or by visiting www.stampouthunger.2harvest.org to make an online donation of any amount.
In its 18th year, Stamp Out Hunger is the nation's largest single-day food drive. Last year, letter carriers nationwide collected more than 73 million pounds of food. Local sponsors include National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 9, Minneapolis and Branch 28, St. Paul; Cub Foods; KARE 11; Minnesota Transport Services Association; and WCCO Radio. For a complete listing of participating Cub Foods locations or to learn more about Stamp Out Hunger or how to help, visit www.stampouthunger.2harvest.org.
About Second Harvest Heartland
Second Harvest Heartland is the Upper Midwest's largest hunger-relief organization, with a mission of ending hunger through community partnerships. 51 million pounds of grocery products were distributed last year to hungry seniors, families and children through nearly 1,000 non-profit member agencies and programs, including food shelves, soup kitchens, shelters, senior centers, faith-based organizations, and children's after-school programs serving 59 counties in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. For further information, visit www.2harvest.org or call 651.484.5117.
SOURCE Second Harvest Heartland
