Annual Food Drive Aims to Stamp Out Hunger! by Sarah Hughes, 2002 Winter Olympics Gold Medal Winner (NAPSA)—I have traveled the globe to compete. I have realized my dream to win an Olympic gold medal. And, along the way, I have met many of my heroes. But I did not need to travel the world to meet all of my heroes because many of them live in my own neighborhood, like my letter carrier. On Saturday, May 10, you can become a hero yourself by simply leaving a sturdy bag of non-perishable food items, such as canned soup, canned pasta or cereal, next to your mailbox before your letter carrier arrives. Your letter carrier will do the rest, collecting and delivering your donation to a food bank or pantry that serves your own community. It’s all part of the National Association of Letter Carriers’ (AFL-CIO) and United States Postal Service’s 11th annual food drive effort to help Stamp Out Hunger!. On May 10, the nation’s 240,000 letter carriers will collect non-perishable food items to benefit local food banks and pantries across the country in America’s largest single-day food drive. This effort is important because every day millions of Americans—many of them children—rely on food assistance programsto provide needed nourishment. A growing number of them are from working families who have to make tough decisions between shelter, medical needs, clothing and food on a daily basis. Last year, with donations from n Olympic Gold Medalist Sarah Hughes and her neighborhood letter carriers urge Americans to participate in the 11th annual Stamp Out Hunger! Food Drive on Saturday, May 10. millions of generous Americans, letter carriers delivered more than 60 million pounds of food to help those in need. Again this year, Campbell Soup Companyis kicking off the drive with a donation of 1 million pounds of food. I hope the letter carriers can count on your help, too! Campbell Soup Company and the Postal Service’s Priority Mail are sponsoring special postcards being sent to nearly 100 million U.S. homes to remind postal customers about this important effort. If you have any questions about the Stamp Out Hunger! drive, just ask your letter carrier or contact your post office. Please take a moment to make a difference on May 10 and help needy children and families in your own community. Thank you for your support!
