Editor,

May 11 marks the 32nd anniversary of one of America’s great days of giving: the National Association Of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food drive.

Letter carriers walk through the community every day, often coming face to face with a sad reality for too many: hunger.

So, each year on the second Saturday in May, letter carriers across the country collect non-perishable food donations from our customers. Here in Indiana, these donations go directly to over 50 different local food pantries to provide food to people who need our help.

Central Indiana food pantries that the National Associate of Letter Carriers Branch #888 provides for include: Open Doors Food Pantry (Carmel), Hamilton County Harvest Food Bank (Noblesville), Delaware Township Trustees (Fishers), Open Doors Food Pantry (Westfield) and Zionsville Presbyterian Church (Zionsville).

From this one day of collection Branch No. 888 has averaged over 90,000 pounds of food delivered to these pantries. This year, our goal is over 100,000 pounds of food collected. Over the course of its 30-year history, the drive has collected well over 1.82 billion pounds of food, thanks to a postal service universal delivery network that spans the nation.

Our food drive’s timing is crucial. Food banks and pantries often receive the majority of their donations during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons. By springtime, many pantries are depleted, entering the summer low on supplies at a time when many school breakfast and lunch programs are not available to children in need.

Participating in this year’s Letter Carrier Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is simple. Just leave a nonperishable food donation in a bag by your mailbox on May 11 and your letter carrier will do the rest. With your help, letter carriers and the US Postal Service will make the 32nd year in America’s great day of giving its best one yet.

Greg Gormong, Carmel city letter carrier