The 2016 Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers and the U.S. Postal Service, will take place Saturday, May 14 throughout the City of Alexandria.

“Last year we collected over 71 million pounds of food nationally, feeding an estimated 30 million people,” said Stamp Out Hunger area coordinator Brian McCormick. “And all food collected stays local with local food banks in Alexandria receiving over 55,000 pounds of food in 2015.”

McCormick hopes to increase that amount in this year’s drive.

“We would love to collect 75,000 pounds this year,” McCormick added. “If each customer in Alexandria were to leave one bag of non-perishable food items for their letter carrier to pick up, thousands of families in this immediate area would have enough food to survive.”

Now in its 24th year, Stamp Out Hunger is the nation’s largest single-day food drive and has collected more than 1.3 billion pounds of food over the drive’s history.

To participate in this year’s drive, place bags of non-perishable food items by your mail box before your mail is delivered May 14. Donations can also be dropped off at local post office branches throughout the city.

“The need for food donations is great,” McCormick said. “Most food banks and pantries receive the majority of their donations during Thanksgiving and over the winter holidays. By springtime many are depleted, entering the summer low on supplies at a time when many school breakfast and lunch programs are not available to children in need.”

Donations of non-perishable food, including pet food, will be distributed by the letter carriers to local shelters and food banks including ALIVE! Koinonia and United Community Ministries. Examples of non-perishable items include: Peanut butter, canned soup, canned meats and fish, canned vegetables, fruits and juices, boxed goods (such as cereal), pasta and rice.

For more information, contact Brian McCormick at 571-278-3231.