Quad Cities area postal carriers will be part of a special delivery Saturday, May 14, as they participate in the 30th annual Stamp Out Food Drive.
On Saturday, Quad Cities residents are asked to leave non-perishable food items next to their mailboxes before the delivery of the mail. Letter carriers will collect the food donations as they deliver mail along their postal routes. The donations stay in the community and are given to local pantries and shelters for those in need.
United Way Quad Cities is partnering with the National Association of Letter Carriers for the event. This unique partnership is set to gather non-perishable food donations for the local River Bend Food Bank.
“After a two-year break from Stamp Out Hunger, we at United Way are honored to, once again, join our partners in organized labor to address hunger, a barrier that can hold back Quad Citizens from reaching their full potential,” said Marci Zogg, vice president of Community Impact at United Way Quad Cities.
The top requested non-perishable food items are cereal, pasta, pasta sauce or spaghetti sauce, rice, canned fruits and vegetables, canned meals (such as soups, chili and pasta), 100% juice, peanut butter, macaroni & cheese, canned protein (tuna, chicken and turkey), beans (canned or dry). Those supporting what is a national campaign also are asked to donate healthy, low-sodium, low-sugar items such as beans, oatmeal and other whole grains, and canola or olive oil.
No frozen food, homemade food, home-canned items or items in glass containers will be accepted.
This year marks three decades of the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, which has raised 1.67 billion pounds of food since its inception.
“One in four households faced food insecurity in the U.S. this year,” Ms. Zogg said. “The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is a great way to easily support your fellow Quad Citizens. The donations stay in our community, so we can continue to improve the Quad Cities as a whole.”
