New Bedford — The largest one-day food drive in the country will occur Saturday, May 13, with the 31st annual Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Day.
Donors can leave a box or bag of non-perishable items by their mailbox and their letter carrier will take them for distribution to one of six food local pantries: M.O. L.I.F.E., PACE. Shepherd’s Pantry, Damien’s, Salvation Army, and Catholic Charities. The drive gathers tens of thousands of pounds of much needed food locally each year and tens of millions of pounds nationwide.
“I hope everyone remembers to leave food for their letter carriers,” said Victoria Grasela, United Way of Greater New Bedford (UWGNB) VP of Marketing & Community Engagement. “Since the pandemic, more and more families are finding it difficult to afford the most basic needs, including food. The Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Food Drive is a day for us to come together and help our neighbors in need.”
UWGNB is the local convener of Stamp Out Hunger in Greater New Bedford, serving as liaison with Association of Letter Carriers representing and coordinating with the food pantries. UWGNB and food pantry volunteers will receive food delivered by letter carriers to the region’s post office branches, box it and load it on a truck for delivery to the food pantries.
Donors who miss the May 13 pickup can leave food for their letter carrier on Monday or even bring items to a United States Postal Service branch.
“We expect some food to trickle in after Saturday,” said Grasela. “The important thing is that people donate at this difficult time, when more families than ever are facing food insecurity.”