Letter Carriers to Collect Food Saturday in Over 10,000 Cities Across America

Contact:
Drew Von Bergen, NALC,202/662-2489
Susan Hofer, 312/263-2303, ext. 127

Donations Left by Mailbox Will Help Families in Need

Washington, DC -- May 10, 2001 -- Letter carriers on Saturday will collect non-perishable food donations along their postal routes in over 10,000 cities and towns across America in the nation's largest one-day effort to feed the hungry, the National Association of Letter Carriers said today.

The nation's 240,000 city letter carriers hope to surpass the record 63.2 million pounds of food collected last year along postal routes.

The ninth annual NALC National Food Drive on May 12 provides an easy opportunity for citizens to help families in need in their own communities by restocking depleted supplies at local food banks and pantries.

Residents are asked to leave non-perishable food donations by the mailbox on Saturday before their letter carrier arrives. The carrier will do the rest, taking it first to the post office and then onto a local food bank or pantry.

In New York City and Chicago, postal customers are being asked to take food donations to their local post office.

NALC President Vincent R. Sombrotto emphasized the importance to millions of Americans of conducting the drive at this time of the year.

"Donations are especially needed at this time of the year when the shelves at food banks and pantries are getting bare," Sombrotto said. "It also is a period when millions of children who rely on the nutritional benefits of school lunch programs will be without that resource for several months."

The drive will be conducted in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam and the District of Columbia. Residents who have any questions about their community's participation in the drive should contact their local post office.

Over 99 million full-color postcards featuring a cartoon by "Family Circus" artist Bil Keane have been delivered to homes throughout the country to encourage donations. The cards are sponsored by the Campbell Soup Company and the Priority Mail Division of the U.S. Postal Service, At a kickoff ceremony in Atlanta Tuesday, Campbell's Soup also announced a donation of 1 million pounds of food to the drive.

Also are helping promote the drive are Saturn retailers and the United Auto Workers union/Saturn Partnership Initiative, along with the U.S. Postal Service, local United Ways, and the AFL-CIO.