JOHN F. Kennedy’s first action as president in 1961 was sending food aid to Americans in need. JFK made feeding the hungry a priority.
You can, too, by supporting the national Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on Saturday, May 11. It’s the 27th annual event sponsored by the Association of Letter Carriers.
It’s also the single biggest one-day food drive in the country.
On May 11, you just leave non-perishable food by your mailbox. Your postal carrier will pick up your donation as part of the regular mail route. All the donations will then be distributed to area food banks.
Foods with a long shelf life like peanut butter, cereal, rice, canned fruits and vegetables or spaghetti noodles are perfect to donate.
Letter Carriers’ President Fredric Rolando says, “At least six days a week, letter carriers see firsthand the needs of the communities they work in and we’re privileged to be able to help those in need while leading an effort that brings out the best in so many Americans.”
Food banks are so critical for helping families in difficult times. Feeding America says 46 million people turn to their food banks for aid during the year. You may not see hunger, but it is likely present in your community. If you go to the Feeding America Map the Meal Gap site, you can see the hunger rates for each county or congressional district.
Food banks need to have a steady supply of products to provide this front line assistance. Donations during the summer months tend to go down compared to the holiday season. The food banks, in fact, suggested the national drive be held this time of year for that very reason.
With schools out, many impoverished children lose access to the free lunches they receive during the academic year.
There is a greater need for food programs during the summer, when hunger can escalate. The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is at the right time of the year to help deal with any hunger crisis. Also, if there are cuts to the food stamp program (SNAP), this puts enormous pressure on food banks to make up the difference.
Making sure no one goes hungry should be a priority for all of America. If we end hunger, the health of the nation would improve dramatically. Think of how nutrition can help reduce illness among the U.S. population. That benefits everyone.
If children are well-nourished, they can learn more in school. If we could end hunger, we could improve the education of millions of Americans.
The national food drive not only helps food banks, but also sends a powerful message. If the American public makes ending hunger a priority, the leaders of government are more likely to do so as well.
So your actions could actually prevent cuts in food assistance programs. You could encourage Congress to follow through on legislation like expanding summer feeding for children.
On Saturday, you can make a powerful difference. By helping the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, you can help end a major crisis facing America.
Ending hunger can be achieved, if we have the will.
William Lambers (twitter.com/williamlambers) is an author and historian who partnered with the UN World Food Program on the book, “Ending World Hunger.”
