May 18, 2009
You helped us break records in King County!
Thank you to everyone who participated in the 17th annual “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive on May 9th. Generous postal customers in King County broke records as they donated more than 890,750 pounds of food to Food Lifeline during the food drive with the National Association of Letter Carriers. This is enough to provide more than 700,000 meals for hungry people in Western Washington. The food comes at a time when the need has increased as a result of the weak economy and food banks are struggling to keep their shelves full enough to fill this need.
The “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive is a collaborative effort between local members of Feeding America, including Food Lifeline, and the National Association of Letter Carriers. Every year, letter carriers distribute bags in participating postal branches nationwide for customers to fill with food for their neighbors in need. On the 2nd Saturday in May, this food is collected from mailboxes and sorted for distribution to local food banks.
Goals and spirits were high this year and the event was cause for much enthusiasm among the letter carriers. Trucks were waiting at each postal station to be filled with the bags of food the letter carriers collected on their routes, and more than 200 participating volunteers helped to unload them. This year, many postal stations noted increases of 20 to 30 percent over last year’s food donation totals, with one postal station collecting 60 percent more. The letter carriers say they are moved to participate in this food drive as they are out in the community every day and can see the need, especially when they notice the families waiting in line at food banks they deliver to.
“Our warehouse was beginning to look very empty, and we are so thrilled about the results of this food drive and the generosity of community members,” says Linda Nageotte, President and CEO of Food Lifeline. “This food drive is extremely important to the food banks we serve, and they depend on this food to help keep their shelves full at a time when the need is so great.”