ESCANABA — On Saturday, May 11, letter carriers in more than 10,000 cities across America will deliver much more than mail when they walk and drive along their postal routes that day. Postal carriers will be participating in the 27th Annual “Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive, the largest one-day food drive in the nation.

This is the largest food drive of the year and will support local food pantries. Area food pantries collectively feed well over 1,500 people each month with over a third being children.

Letter carriers will collect non-perishable, non-glass container food donations left by their mailboxes by 8 am on Saturday, May 11th, 2019. No special bags are required. Donations may also be dropped off at the local post office.

“The need is great, says Bonnie Matthews, pantry manager at St Vincent de Paul in Marinette. She adds, “We count on this food drive to keep our pantry shelves stocked so that families who are struggling to make ends meet do not have to choose between food and other necessities like medication. The pantry also depends on this drive for the summer months when children no longer have access to school lunch programs.”

The top requested non-perishable food items are: cereal, pasta, pasta sauce or spaghetti sauce, rice, canned fruits and vegetables, canned meals — such as soups, chili and pasta, 100 percent juice, peanut butter, canned protein – tuna, chicken and turkey, canned or dry beans.