STAMP OUT HUNGER Food Drive Reaches 20,000 Pound Goal

For over 30 years, local members of the National Association of Letter Carriers have participated in a national effort to collect food for the needy. Known as the STAMP OUT HUNGER Food Drive, letter carriers and volunteers joined forces to collect and process thousands of blue bags filled with donated food and hygiene items for the Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank. There were groups of volunteers scouring the city helping the letter carriers pick up the donations, and volunteers at the Post Office helping unload trucks as they came in. Just at the Food Bank, over 50 volunteers donated at least 173 hours to help Food Bank staff work through the piles of food. Volunteers had access to snacks, water, sports drinks and a box lunch provided by Chick-fil-A.

“The generosity of this community is just astounding,” says Karen Couch, director of the Food Bank. “With more and more families using our pantry to supplement what they can afford at the grocery store, every donated box, bottle and bag of food becomes more meaningful.”

Feeding on average over 600 people a week, the Food Bank will be able to share the 20,570 pounds collected with families in need of support this summer.