Take a step toward stamping out hunger

During the past week, local letter carriers have been stuffing mailboxes with bright yellow plastic bags, signalling that it is once again time for the annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.

The 24th annual nationwide event, set for Saturday, May 14, involves the participation of 175,000 letter carriers in 10,000 cities and towns in all 50 states who pick up donations left by residents near their mailboxes along postal routes.

According to the National Association of Letter Carriers, the availability of nutritionally adequate and safe food is limited or uncertain for 1 in 6 Americans.

“So our goal is to help restock community food banks, pantries and shelters for needy families throughout the summer,” said NALC President Fredric Rolando, “and to build upon the millions of pounds of non-perishable food collected since 1992 from millions of generous postal customers.”

Letter carriers across the country will collect non-perishable donations as they deliver mail along their route. Contributions should be left near mailboxes, by 9 a.m. Saturday.

All of the food donated stays in the communities where it is collected. This make the food drive a great one for the Camas-Washougal beneficiary, the Inter-Faith Treasure House. In 2015, the Treasure House received more than 5,000 pounds of food thanks to the annual Letter Carriers’ Food Drive.

The Treasure House assists hundreds of local families in need each month. There is no doubt that hunger and homelessness is an issue in the Camas and Washougal communities.

So grab those bright yellow bags (or any other bag, for that matter) and stuff them full of nutritious non-perishable food, which will help people who truly are hungry right here at home.