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Letter Carriers Food Drive this Saturday, May 9; local donations to benefit Fallbrook Food Pantry

FALLBROOK - This Saturday, May 9, will mark the 23rd 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, including Fallbrook, collect non-perishable food donations from customers. These donations go directly to local food pantries (like the Fallbrook Food Pantry) to provide food to people in San Diego County who need help.

Last year, letter carriers collected over 74 million pounds of food nationally, feeding an estimated 30 million people. Over the course of its 22-year history, the drive has collected well over one 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, 49 million American — one in six — are unsure where their next meal is coming from. Sixteen million are children who feel hungers 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.

The letter carrier's food drive is critical at this time of year. 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 this year’s Letter Carrier Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive in Fallbrook is simple. Residents can leave their non-perishable food donations in a bag by their mailbox on Saturday, May 9. The letter carrier will do the rest. Join in America’s great day of giving and help in the fight to end hunger.

 

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