MERIDIAN, Idaho — Idahoans contributed to the 30th-annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on Saturday by leaving non-perishable foods in their mailboxes to be picked up by the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) in the Treasure Valley.
This year, the drive collected 90,000 pounds of food, which is enough for 75,000 meals.
Each year, NALC organizes the event, which is the largest food drive in the nation. The donated food goes to the Idaho Foodbank and is then shared with more than 465 partners of the organization.
While on their mail routes on Saturday, NALC picked up the foods left in bags inside of residents' mailboxes. Volunteers with the Idaho Foodbank then sort the donations at different post offices around the Treasure Valley, such as the Main Post Office in Boise.
NALC is not alone in organizing the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. National partners include the U.S. Postal Service, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association, Vericast, United Way Worldwide, the AFL-CIO, Valpak, the Kellogg Co. and CVS Health.
The national food drive began with a pilot drive in 10 U.S. cities in 1991. NALC said because the first event was so successful, the organization turned to creating a nationwide drive, with NALC branches in each state.
In 2010, the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive passed one-billion pounds in food collected since its inaugural event.
A donation can be made to support Stamp Out Hunger on the Idaho Foodbank's website. To learn more about food assistance in Idaho, visit the Idaho Foodbank's Food Assistance Locator.
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