It’s time for a May weekend tradition: The annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive takes place Saturday.
For the 31st year, U.S. Postal Service letter carriers will join forces with residents to help fight food insecurity in Los Angeles and throughout the country. The nation’s largest single-day food drive provides residents with an easy way to donate food — by placing a bag of non-perishable food by their mailbox.
In recent weeks, letter carriers have been delivering special bags along with the mail that may be used to make donations. To participate, residents are encouraged to use the bags, or something similar, fill them with non-perishable foods and leave the bags next to their mailbox prior to the time of regular mail delivery on Saturday.
Collected food will be donated to an area food bank or pantry.
While all non-perishable donations are welcome, foods that are high in protein such as canned tuna, salmon, beans, and peanut butter are most needed, USPS officials said. Canned fruits and vegetables, whole grain, low sugar cereals, macaroni, and cheese dinners and 100% fruit juice also top the list of most needed items.
Most-wanted items to donate include canned meats (tuna, chicken, salmon), canned and boxed meals (soup, chili, stew, macaroni, and cheese), canned or dried beans and peas (black, pinto, lentils), pasta, rice cereal. canned fruits, 100% fruit juice (canned, plastic or boxed), canned vegetables, cooking oil, and boxed cooking mixes (pancake, breads).
Residents should avoid donating rusty or unlabeled cans, glass containers, perishable items, homemade items, expired items, noncommercial canned or packaged items, alcoholic beverages or mixes or soda, or open or used items.
For additional information about the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is available online at https://www.nalc.org/community-service/food-drive.
