Each year, letter carriers across the country head out on their routes on the second Saturday in May to collect donations of non-perishable food items to benefit local food pantries. This year the second Saturday is May 10th.
Last year, the food drive yielded 382,175 pounds of food for food pantries, soup kitchens and other emergency feeding programs in communities in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Island Harvest Food Bank will benefit from the donations, as will the pantries and soup kitchens they serve. Island Harvest expects to distribute 20 million pounds of food in 2025.
Since launching in 1993, the National Association of Letter Carriers’ annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive has grown into the nation’s largest one-day food drive, helping to fill the shelves of food banks in cities and towns throughout the United States.
The need is great, but you can help. Join letter carriers in the fight to end hunger in our communities by participating in the annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.
Simply leave your donation of non-perishable food in a bag near your mailbox on May,10th and your letter carrier will do the rest.
The annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive comes at a critical time for food pantries. Donations from the winter holidays have been depleted, while free or reduced-cost school meals that many children rely on are not available during the summer months.
Donation items that acceptable include non-perishable food such as canned goods, cereal, pasta, rice, boxed juices, shelf-stable milk. In addition, personal care items such as toothpaste, soap, shampoo, deodorant, and disposable diapers will be gratefully accepted.
Since launching in 1993, the National Association of Letter Carriers’ annual Stamp Out Hunger® food drive has collected approximately 1.9 billion pounds of food, replenishing food shelves in thousands of community food banks nationwide.
It is held in 10,000 cities and towns in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. The food drive's success is due to the dedication of letter carriers, volunteers, and support from our partners and local food agencies across the country.