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The Crossville Post Office will hold its annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive May 13. The U.S. Postal Service continues to support the National Association of Letter Carriers' (NALC) food drive as they enter their 25th year together to help "stamp out hunger" in America. The food drive is one of the most successful in the nation.

The nation's largest single-day food drive, the NALC effort is held annually on the second Saturday in May in 10,000 cities and towns in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam. From major metropolitan areas to small rural towns, residents put out on that day food donations that letter carriers collect as they deliver mail along their postal routes.

"Six and even seven days a week, letter carriers see first-hand the needs in the communities where we work," said NALC President Fredric Rolando, "and we're committed to helping meet those needs."

Food banks receive the bulk of their donations during the winter holiday season. By May, their stocks are nearly depleted, but this food drive restocks the food banks as the summer months approach — when children are no longer in school with access to food programs and tornado season approaching. The need is real, as there are parents not available, economically disadvantaged households, people with jobs but under the poverty level and the cost of food, insurance and basic necessities rising.

Last year, carriers nationwide collected more than 80 million pounds of food. It was their 13th consecutive drive surpassing 70 million pounds and it surpassed the previous record of 77 million pounds. The total donations received since the drive began in 1992 now stand at more than 1.5 billion pounds.

In Cumberland County, about 12 tons of non-perishable food was collected and distributed to eight local food pantries in 2016. This was an increase of about 1,591 pounds from the previous year.

To take part in the upcoming Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, just place non-perishable food items in a bag or box by your mailbox for food pantry volunteers or mailmen to collect on Saturday, May 13. Donations can also be taken directly to the lobby of the Crossville Post Office.

Popular items to donate include cereal, pasta and pasta sauce, spaghetti and spaghetti sauce, rice, canned fruit and vegetables, canned soups, chili, 100-percent juice, peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, canned meats like tuna, chicken and turkey and beans.

Please do not include the following items: homemade foods; anything that has been opened, that may require refrigeration or are in glass containers; expired or food items; pet foods; toiletries or other personal care items; and money (consider making a donation directly).

All food pantries that receive donations are located in Cumberland County and are staffed by local volunteers. All donations will go directly from your mailbox or the Post Office lobby to the food pantries, without any money being involved.

For additional information on the food drive, go to the NALC's website at www.nalc.org.

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