This Saturday, Western New Yorkers are being encouraged to set out non-perishable food items near their mailboxes as the United Way of Buffalo & Erie County, FeedMore WNY, and Branch 3 National Association of Letter Carriers are partnering to help tackle food insecurity with the 33rd annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.
Buffalo accounts for 5% of the food collected during the nation’s largest one-day food drive.
Trina Burruss, President & CEO of United Way of Buffalo and Erie County, said having enough nourishing food is the most basic need.
"If you think about your own families, you know what's most important; housing your children, feeding them, providing childcare for them, quality education," Burruss said. "They can't be educated if they're hungry in school. Parents can't go to work and do well if they're stressed out about whether their children do or do not have food."
Zeb Robson is a veteran letter carrier, and the Sergeant-at-Arms of Branch 3 National Association of Letter Carriers. He said don’t worry: The people who deliver your mail are happy to make a pickup for a great cause.
"On a day like Saturday, when it's typically springtime, the mail volume is a little bit lighter," Robson said. "We're more than capable of being able to not only deliver your mail ... but we can also take those donations back."
Robson said in the eight counties of Western New York, your letter carriers pick up about half-a-million pounds of food each year, from all corners of the region.
"Some of us are in areas where the need may not appear to be so great, and some of us are in areas where the need is readily apparent the minute you step out of your truck," he said. "Regardless of where you're delivering, the impact is still going to be felt by your donations."
All the food that’s collected goes to fill the pantries of FeedMore WNY. Catherine Shick said when you’re thinking about what kinds of food FeedMore WNY needs most, think about protein.
"Think of shelf-stable canned meats like tuna fish ... peanut butter and alternative to nut butters, those are really wonderful things to donate," Shick said, "as well as whole grains, pasta and sauce, canned fruits and vegetables that are low sodium. Think of what you would need to make a well rounded meal in your household."
Spring can be a slow time for food donations, and Shick said your donations help our Western New York neighbors through the summer months.
"A lot of times we see food donations really drop off after the holiday season, and so we look towards Stamp Out Hunger to be a major source of food donations to carry us through the spring and into the summer months," she said.
To participate in the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, watch for the postcard in your mailbox and attach that postcard to a bag of non-perishable food items for your letter carrier to pick up Saturday.
