ST. GEORGE — Utah residents have the chance to help “Stamp Out Hunger” this coming weekend.
The 31tst annual Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive will be Saturday, May 13. Donors are asked to fill a blue reminder bag with non-perishable food and leave it near their mailbox no later than 9 a.m.
“Community support of this effort will truly make a difference in the lives of the 1 in 9 Utah kids who are unsure where their next meal is coming from,” said Ginette Bott, Utah Food Bank president and CEO, in a news release. “We are still experiencing elevated levels of need in line with what we saw during the height of the pandemic, thanks to inflation creating tighter food budgets for Utahns.”
With some 289,000 Utahns facing hunger, local letter carriers will collect and deliver food donations to Utah Food Bank and its statewide network of 216 partner agencies. All donations will be distributed to food pantries located in the community where the donation is made, the news release said.
“Donations received through this food drive come at a crucial time as school gets out and many kids are left without access to school meal programs,” Bott said.
And with inflation causing increased need, Utah Food Bank and its partner agencies are eagerly anticipating the success of this food drive. Donated food should be commercially packaged, non-perishable items with an emphasis on items that are low in sodium, sugar, and corn syrup. Most needed food items include beef stew, chili, peanut butter, boxed meals and canned meats, the news release said.
Alternatively, donations can be dropped off at local food pantries, Utah Food Bank’s Salt Lake or St. George warehouses, or any Harmons location. To encourage participation, reminder postcards and bags will be placed in mailboxes this week. The St. George warehouse is located at 4416 S. River Road.
Utah Food Bank is also in critical need of volunteers to help sort food on Saturday from 1-5 p.m. at various post offices in the Salt Lake valley. If you are interested in volunteering to sort food the day of the drive, contact Utah Food Bank’s volunteer department at 801-887-1234 or send an email to [email protected].
The 31tst annual Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is sponsored nationally by the National Association of Letter Carriers in conjunction with the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association and United States Postal Service. Click here for more information.
Founded in 1904, Utah Food Bank has operated under various names but remains true to its mission of fighting hunger statewide by providing food to a statewide network of 230 emergency food pantries and agencies, the news release said. Last fiscal year, Utah Food Bank distributed 67.3 million pounds of food and goods, the equivalent of approximately 56.1 million meals, to families and individuals in need.
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