Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Day
With projections that up to 200 million people will experience food insecurity across the globe, the concerns about people being able to feed their families are very real! As food prices and the overall cost of living continue to spike across the US and in many other places, this leaves many...
Mobilize employees and customers around a nationally-recognized food-security cause to drive in-store donations, corporate giving, and brand loyalty during May's Stamp Out Hunger campaign.
- Partner with USPS and local food banks to set up donation stations in-store or at worksites
- Highlight employee volunteer opportunities at food pantries as part of corporate social responsibility
- Create limited-time matching-gift campaigns where brands match customer donations dollar-for-dollar
- Feature customer stories of food-bank impact to humanize the cause and drive engagement
The pilot program for the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive got its start in 1991 through the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC). The idea was that postal carriers would head out on their normal routes on this day but would also collect non-perishable donations to partner with local food banks.
In addition to the Letter Carriers, this event is also organized in collaboration with the United States Postal Service (USPS) along with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO).
The original rollout was only in ten cities and then the national drive was launched two years later, in 1993. Today, Stamp Out Hunger Food Drives take place in at least 10,000 cities across all 50 states, providing much needed resources to food banks and pantries.
Stamp Out Hunger continues to be the largest one-day food drive in the country, and more people are encouraged to get involved as problems with food insecurity continue to grow over the years.
These mail carriers perform extra duty during this special day, not only dropping off letters and packages as normal, but also picking up boxes full of food donations. It’s a great service they provide to help families who are struggling with food insecurity.
Donate Non-perishable Food Items
Those who live in an area where the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Day takes place can get involved by preparing non-perishable food items and then following the instructions to leave them with their letter carriers. Usually this means just leaving the box full of food near a residential or business mailbox. But it’s also possible to host your own food drive for the event, using a toolkit provided by the organizers.
Make a Financial Donation to Stamp Out Hunger
Sometimes, food banks are able to do more with less money when they are given financial donations. In addition, these funds can cover costs such as transportation, storage, program costs and more. Plus, it allows food pantries to provide fresh foods that are often in short supply such as produce, dairy, eggs and more.
Volunteer at a Food Pantry
In honor of Stamp Out Hunger, some individuals may find themselves motivated to get involved on a more regular basis by meeting needs at a local food bank. Volunteer hours may be spent sorting and organizing food, checking expiration dates, packing up food boxes for families or doing clerical work.