Tucsonans have the chance to support a first-class effort to combat food insecurity on Saturday, May 14, with the National Association of Letter Carriersβ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive 2022.
After a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the largest annual campaign for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona will return for its 30th year with an ambitious goal of collecting 200,000 pounds of food in one day.
βIt is so easy to donate, and that is the strength of this drive. You just put the food in a bag by your mailbox and the letter carriers do all the work. It comes at a much-needed time, since we know that food drives slow up in the summer, donations decrease and volunteers are harder to get in spite of the fact that the need remains,β said Norma Cable, a spokeswoman for the food bank.
Donations of any nonperishables are welcome: Most-requested items include peanut butter, canned vegetables, low-sodium canned soup and stews, pasta and wild rice, canned or dried beans, canned fruit, canned tuna and chicken, oatmeal and high-fiber cereal without added sugars. Stamp Out Hunger bags will be placed in mailboxes during the week prior, but the food can be left at mailboxes in any type of bag.
Volunteers are also needed to help collect and sort the donated food. Anyone age 12 and older is welcome, and groups of families, friends, clubs and service organizations are encouraged. The work is physical and hats and sunscreen are recommended.
To sign up for a shift, send an email to volunteer@communityfoodbank.org. Find more information or make an online donation at www.communityfoodbank.org.
βYou can imagine the logistics involved with a campaign of this size. It takes about 400 volunteers to make this happen, and we are making a big push since we are not even halfway there,β said Cable.
