Casper postal workers prepare for National Letter Carriers’ Food Drive

CASPER, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) - The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) will conduct its annual national food drive on Saturday, May 14. The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, the country’s largest one-day food drive, provides residents with an easy way to donate food to those in need.

In the 30 years since it began, the food drive has collected about 1.82 billion pounds of food for struggling residents around the United States.

Anyone can leave their donations of non-perishable food items next to their mailbox. Letter carriers will collect these food donations as they deliver mail along their postal routes, and distribute them to the Food Bank of Wyoming.

“The food drive I see our community coming together so often for those that are in need, and how important it is because even though they don’t have money... they give... our community really gets into this,” said Casper Letter Carrier Dani Wolff.

The traditional food drive is returning this year after a two-year hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic. In 2020 and 2021, it was replaced by NALC’s donor drive, in which those wishing to help made online donations to local food pantries. The online donation option is still available for those who cannot contribute food to the drive.

The drive is scheduled for mid-May when food banks, pantries, and shelters are running low on donations from the winter holidays when most school meal programs are suspended for the summer.

“It is such a big thing... and this is where they turn to for some help, and it’s easy, they don’t have to worry about the food,” said Wolff.

For people who cannot participate on Saturday, May 14, Wolff says that letter carriers will still pick up the items if they include a note stating they are for the food drive.

People are encouraged to leave a sturdy bag containing non-perishable foods, such as canned soup, canned vegetables, canned meats and fish, pasta, rice, or cereal next to their mailbox before the regular mail delivery on Saturday. The food donations will stay in Casper, going to help local residents.

According to Wolff, volunteers are still needed for the drive. For additional information on volunteering contact Wolff at 307-797-4490. To learn more about the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive visit the NALC website, Facebook, or Twitter.

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