After two years away due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive returned May 14 to help restock food pantries across the nation.
The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) sponsors the event, which has letter carriers distribute donation bags along their routes and then later collect the bags filled with cans of food and other nonperishable food items as they walk or drive their postal routes.
In Jefferson County, postal spokesmen said donations were a bit down compared to years prior to the pandemic, likely because the food drive had been out of the public’s mind so long.
Still, Festus letter carrier Patrick Henderson said postal patrons impressed him with their generosity.
“It went really well. We received over 12,000 pounds of food donations,” he said. “I was amazed. It was a wonderful community effort. Our postal patrons came through. The Leader came through, putting it in the community notes section.”
Henderson, the vice president of NALC Branch 4050, said the letter carriers he represents who took part in the 2022 Stamp Out Hunger work at the Festus, Crystal City, Herculaneum, Pevely, De Soto and Potosi post offices.
“The local pantries get the food,” he noted. “Stamp Out Hunger is always the second Saturday of May.”
Steven Powers, the union representative and food drive director for letters carriers who serve the Fenton and High Ridge post offices, said those letter carriers collected 15,438 pounds of food donations. That represents a significant drop compared to previous Stamp Out Hunger collections in his area, he said.
“In the years leading up to the pandemic, we’d see about 22,000 pounds of donations a year, on average,” Powers said. “It fluctuates.”
He encourages people to continue to donate to their area food pantries.
“Being as we’re down this year, the pantries are still in desperate need of food,” Powers said.
At the Arnold Post Office, the letter carriers collected about 6,200 pounds, post office spokesman Joe Downey said.
“I think that’s lower than a normal year,” he said. “After (Stamp Out Hunger) came back after the pandemic, I believe some people forgot about it.”
Ed Fitzhenry, executive director of the Arnold Food Pantry, said the NALC food drive helps his organization meet the needs of the people it serves.
“It’s greatly appreciated, particularly this time of year,” Fitzhenry said. “I say that because kids who are getting free breakfast and free lunch at school will be out for summer.”