Stamp Out Hunger will occur online this year, beginning this week.
The annual campaign traditionally allows Postal Service employees to collect food donations that are then distributed to food banks and pantries.
The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) usually organizes the drive on the second Saturday of May, but this year’s event was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The NALC is now holding the drive online, allowing customers to donate money — instead of food — to participating food banks and pantries.
“As letter carriers in every neighborhood in the country six and seven days a week, we see the need and we cannot wait while food banks struggle, demand grows and people remain hungry,” NALC President Fredric Rolando said.
The online drive began June 15 and will continue as needed to allow food banks to purchase the items they need to help address hunger and food insecurity, which have worsened because of the pandemic and the national economic downturn.
Individuals who wish to donate can search for food banks by state at www.nalc.org/food.
“Once it is safe, we will return to the traditional food drive,” Rolando said.
