Annual ‘Stamp Out Hunger’ food drive returns this weekend

NEGAUNEE, Mich. (WLUC) - This weekend, an annual food drive involving the United States Postal Service is returning.

After a two-year absence, the National Association of Letter Carriers’ “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive is coming back on Saturday. For 30 years, the annual nationwide effort has involved letter carriers picking up donated non-perishables from postal customers and giving them to the needy.

Marquette County’s Tina McCorkle has been the coordinator out of the Ishpeming Post Office for the past five years.

“We love doing this,” said McCorkle. “We just love being there for our community, and we’re hoping to get more food than we did three years ago when we did it last.”

In 2019, Negaunee collected 800 pounds of food. All donations stay in the community.

The United Way of Marquette County has also played a role in helping the cause.

“We get the word out through social media, press releases, and working with the news to help make sure that everybody in the area is aware of it and can get some food out,” said Executive Director Andrew Rickauer.

United Way is also accepting donations at its office until 4:00 Friday afternoon. Rickauer said thanks to the pandemic, the need from pantries has been much greater.

“Over the fall/winter holiday time, they get stocked pretty well, and that takes them through the winter,” Rickauer said. “But, now a lot of people don’t really think of donating and stocking the pantries. It’s just a critical time.”

You can leave your donations in a plastic bag at your mailbox Saturday. But if you forget, you can still make a donation to the cause later in the day.

“If you miss your mail carrier, you can always drop it off at your local post office,” said McCorkle. “We’ll make sure that it goes to where it needs to go.”

McCorkle says acceptable items include canned goods, boxed cooking mixes, and pasta. To read the full press release, click here.

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