Stamp Out Hunger on May 11

Island Harvest Food Bank, the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) and the United States Postal Service (USPS) are  teaming up on May 11 for the 27th annual  Stamp Out Hunger.®

Residents are asked to leave a bag of nonperishable food by their mailbox on Saturday, May 11, before the regular mail delivery, which will be collected by a letter carrier. All food donated on Long Island will help replenish Island Harvest Food Bank’s network of food pantries, soup kitchens, and other emergency feeding programs in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Nonperishable food items needed include canned goods, cereal, pasta, rice, boxed juices, and shelf-stable milk (please, no glass items).

“The Stamp Out Hunger food drive is an important collection event for us coming before the summer months when food pantries and feeding programs often experience a slowdown in donations,”  said Randi Shubin Dresner, president and CEO, Island Harvest Food Bank.  “The food drive enables us to continue to provide supplemental food support to families whose children rely on school breakfast and lunch programs, but don’t have access to those resources when school is not in session.”

State Sen. John, R-Northport, is again supporting the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. To assist the letter carriers in this charitable endeavor, Senator Flanagan’s office will be serving as a collection point.  The office will be accepting donations at 260 Middle Country Road, Suite 102, in Smithtown from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday through Friday, May 10th.

“The men and women of the United States Postal Service undertake this food drive every year to help provide food banks, pantries and shelters with essential supplies and we are thrilled to be able to join them in this endeavor.  Through their efforts, the USPS workers will help make sure that families in our community will have access to the assistance they need and we thank them for their efforts.  We are again proud to join with the USPS in their food drive and invite everyone in our community who can help to visit our office to donate to this worthwhile cause,” Flanagan said.

Now in its 27th year, postal carriers from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Island, and Guam will collect nonperishable food items donated by  postal customers to help people struggling with hunger and food insecurity.

“The National Association of Letter Carriers is proud to partner with Island Harvest Food Bank, the United States Postal Service, and other organizations in helping address the hunger and food insecurity on Long Island,” said Walter Barton, president, NALC Branch 6000. “Our letter carriers often see the need for food assistance firsthand during our everyday duties. Stamp Out Hunger is our way to give back to the community and help ease the burden for our Long Island neighbors who may be struggling just to put food on the table.”

Since its inception in 1992, nearly two billion pounds of food were donated nationally through Stamp Out Hunger. Last year, generous Long Islanders donated 310,000 pounds of food to the Stamp Out Hunger collection event to help people in Nassau and Suffolk who may be struggling to put food on their tables. This year’s local sponsoring partners of the NALC Stamp Out Hunger collection include Altice, LI Federation of Labor, National Grid, New York & Atlantic Railway, Stop & Shop, Suffolk County Association of Municipal Employees, and Whole Foods. All donations to the Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger® Food Drive made on Long Island are tax-deductible because all of the food collected is given directly to Island Harvest Food Bank, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

For more information about Stamp Out Hunger, visit www.islandharvest.org.

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