On April 20th, 2016 an article was written in the Morton Times-News by Scott Haney of Peoria. Below is the article for you to read. There is some important statistics concerning hunger within the article. The Stamp Out for Hunger Food Drive provides food to We Care that they collect from the food drive.
Help stamp out hunger with food drive
Saturday, May 14th marks the 24th 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. These donations go directly to local food pantries to provide food to people in your hometown who needs our help.
Last year, we collected over 70 million pounds of food nationally, providing assistance to an estimated 30 million people. Over the course of its 23-year history, the drive has collected well over 1 billion pounds of food.
The need for donations is great. Currently 49 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 Stamp Out Food Drive is simple. Just leave your non-perishable food donation in a sturdy bag by your mailbox Saturday, May 14, and your letter carrier will do the rest. On behalf of all city and rural letter carriers in Central Illinois, I invite you to join in America’s great day of giving.
Scott Haney
Peoria
Source: Morton Times-News | Wednesday, April 20, 2016