Postal Workers Help To Stamp Out Hunger

MIAMI (CBS5) -- This Saturday, the U.S. Postal Service will join the nation's largest hunger relief organization in the 19th annual "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive to benefit needy families here in South Florida and across the rest of the nation.

"Stamp Out Hunger" is the nation's largest single-day food drive.

Postal carriers in South Florida and across the country will collect non-perishable canned goods as they make their scheduled rounds.

It's easy to help. Leave a sturdy bag containing non-perishable foods, like canned soup, canned vegetables, pasta, rice or cereal, next to your mailbox prior to the time of regular mail delivery on Saturday, May 14th. Food items should be in non-breakable containers, such as boxes and cans.

Each year, the Feeding America network provides food to more than 37 million low-income people facing hunger in the United States, including 14 million children and nearly 3 million seniors.

Here in South Florida, the food collected will be taken to Feeding South Florida before its sorted and distributed to over 800 nonprofits with food banks, pantries and shelters that serve children, families, the elderly, and people with disabilities in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Last year, more than one million pounds of food was collected in South Florida.

Nationwide, the National Association of Letter Carriers collected a record-breaking 77 million pounds of canned goods in 2010. This year, they're hoping to top that total and help the more than 50 million Americans who go hungry on a regular basis.