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May 13 marks the 31st anniversary of one of America’s great days of giving — the National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.

Letter carriers walk through the community every day, often coming face to face with a sad reality for too many: hunger.

So, each year on the second Saturday in May, letter carriers in the Albert Lea area join carriers across the country to collect non-perishable food donations from our customers. These local donations go directly to local food pantries to provide food to people in the Albert Lea area who need our help.

Over the course of its 30-year history, this national drive has collected well over 1.82 billion pounds of food.  Albert Lea carriers have collected over 300,000 pounds during that time. 

The need for food donations is great. Currently, more than 42 million Americans are unsure where their next meal is coming from. More than 12 million are children who feel hunger’s impact on their overall health and ability to perform in school. And nearly 5.2 million seniors over age 60 are food insecure, with many who live on fixed incomes often too embarrassed to ask for help.

Participating in this year’s Letter Carrier Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is simple. Just leave a non­perishable food donation in a bag by your mailbox May 13 and your letter carrier will do the rest. It will be the 31st anniversary in America’s great day of giving.