Help 'Stamp Out Hunger' on Saturday, May 8, in the National Association of Letter Carriers Food Drive

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Second Harvest North Florida works each day to answer the call in the ongoing battle against domestic hunger, but the food bank is reaching out this weekend and asking the First Coast community for a helping hand during the "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers.

Residents are asked to leave nonperishable food donations by their mailboxes on Saturday, May 8, which will be collected by postal carriers as part of their normal delivery routes.

(PHOTO CAPTION: Students at Beauclerc Elementary kicked off NALC week with a food drive at their school on Monday, May 3, collecting more than 2,000 pounds of food for people in need.)

This year's food drive is once again critically important for Second Harvest and other nonprofit organizations in northeast Florida, according to executive director Thomas Mantz, who said the agency has already provided 2.6 million meals this year – nearly 800,000 more meals than at this time a year ago. Demand for resources from Second Harvest increased by more than 27 percent in 2009, according to Mantz, and that increase has not slowed in 2010.

Food distribution at Second Harvest has steadily risen in recent years, from 6.62 million pounds in 2007, to 7.65 million in 2008, 10.3 million pounds in 2009, and a projected 12.5 million in 2010. Second Harvest has moved more than a million pounds of food through its warehouse in each of the last five months – a first in agency history.

In 2009, Second Harvest provided more than 7.9 million meals for people in need. The agency is on pace to provide more than 9.6 million meals in 2010.
 
"People are reaching out for help," Mantz said. "We are answering the call for many of those individuals and families, but it is a challenge that grows each day. There are people in our community who are hurting – specifically children – and our role is to make sure they have the food resources they need to survive, get back on their feet and move past these hard times. The NALC Food Drive provides the resources to help us do that.”

Mantz said that if everyone in Jacksonville donates one can of food during the May 8 event, Second Harvest will collect more food this year than it has in the last four years of the food drive combined. Last year’s drive resulted in more than 325,000 pounds of donations, which equates to more than 250,000 meals. The goal for this year’s drive is to increase donations to 425,000 pounds.

“These donations will come at the perfect time," Mantz said.
 
Although the NALC effort is a national event, much of the food donated in the Jacksonville area will directly benefit the Second Harvest North Florida, which provides food to more than 500 community programs such as church pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters and senior citizen centers in 18 counties. The NALC Food Drive also provides much-needed food during the typically lean summer months when children are unable to receive the free or reduced-fee lunches that are available during the school year.
 
This will be the 16th annual "Stamp Out Hunger," which is the largest one-day food drive in the United States. Residents receive a postcard reminder in their mailbox during the week leading up to the event. They are asked to leave nonperishable food donations in bags or boxes by their mailboxes, which will be picked up by their Postal Service letter carriers as they deliver mail on their routes. Publix has donated bags that will be distributed to mailboxes throughout north Florida, but any bag or box can be used.

Daily Billboard has partnered with Second Harvest to provide important reminders on its display boards throughout Jacksonville in the week leading up to the event.
 
"While this drive is a lot of extra work for the carriers, they realize where the food is going - here in Jacksonville - and how much of an impact it makes," said Bob Henning, president of the local NALC branch. "All the motivation we need is to walk into the food bank this time of year, when kids are getting out of school, and know that we are helping keep the shelves full. When our carriers deliver the mail, they see hungry families on their routes. This drive is a way to help those families."
 
Mantz said the items most needed by the food bank include rice, pasta and canned meats - although he was quick to point out that all nonperishable donations are welcome.
 
"This is the easiest opportunity people throughout the First Coast have to reach out and help somebody in need," Mantz said. "All a person needs to do is leave food at their mailbox."

WHAT:
The 2010 National Association of Letter Carriers 'Stamp Out Hunger' Food Drive, a national event that is the largest one-day food drive each year in the United States.

WHEN:
Saturday, May 8

WHO IT BENEFITS:
Food donated in Jacksonville and several outlying areas will be delivered to the Second Harvest North Florida, which provides food to more than 500 community programs such as church pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters and senior citizen centers in 18 counties. Second Harvest also provides much needed food during the typically lean summer months when children are unable to receive the free or reduced-fee lunches that are available during the school year.

HOW IT WORKS:
Residents are asked to leave nonperishable food items beside their mailboxes on the morning of Saturday, May 8. Postal carrier and rural carriers will collect the donations during their normal delivery routes.

A reminder card will be mailed to each home during the week leading up to the food drive, along with a plastic bag provided by Publix in which any food donations can be packaged. Any box or bag can be used to make a donation, however.

ITEMS NEEDED:
All nonperishable food items are important, but rice, pasta and canned meats are among the most needed items year round by the Second Harvest Food Bank.