R.I. Community Food Bank’s donations from Stamp Out Hunger increase 48%

PROVIDENCE – The annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive, in which letter carriers collect bags of food from postal customers, brought in nearly 92,000 pounds of food for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, a 30,000-pound increase over last year’s efforts.

For the 27th year, members of the National Association of Letter Carriers collected bags of nonperishable food on May 11. In addition to the 92,000 pounds that went to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, food was delivered to many local food pantries by postal carriers.

“We’re so thrilled with the success of the food drive this year – and with the support we received from the letter carriers and their customers.” said Andrew Schiff, Rhode Island Community Food Bank CEO. “We rely on the food collected during this drive to feed children during the summer months when they are no longer receiving free and reduced-price lunches at school.”

The Stamp Out Hunger drive is part of a national effort that includes the National Association of Letter Carriers, the United States Postal Service, National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association, AFL-CIO, UFCW, United Way, Valassis and Valpak.

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Food donations are always welcomed at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and local food pantries. Most-needed items include canned soups and vegetables, peanut butter, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, canned beans, tuna and healthy cereals. The food is sorted by volunteers who check for use-by dates and damaged packaging.