Community Corner

Cranford Stamps Out Hunger with Food Donations 'in the Mail' on Saturday

Stamp Out Hunger, in its 20th year, will benefit the Community FoodBank of NJ in Hillside, NJ. Put your food donations out with your Saturday mail for your letter carrier to take.

You know that bag of food you’ve been meaning to drop off at the local food pantry? This Saturday, your mail carrier will do the work for you.

May 12 marks the 20th annual Stamp Out Hunger, and it couldn’t be easier to participate. Simply put a bag of nonperishable food out with your mail. Your postal worker will collect it on his or her route and deliver it to a local food aid organization.

The Community FoodBank of NJ, located in Hillside and serving many in our community, will benefit.

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Anthony Guido, Director of Communitions and PR at the Community FoodBank, says that some donations from Cranford will go to "the food pantry down the street" while others will be delivered directly to the warehouse in Hillside.

"This is a very important food drive for us," said Guido. "It's one of the largest of the year." Guido noted that the 2011 Stamp Out Hunger drive brought in more than 30,000 lbs. of food to the Community FoodBank's warehouses.

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In fact, Stamp Out Hunger is the nation’s largest single-day food collection drive, according to the U.S. Postal Service. Last year, carriers picked up 70 million pounds of food. 

Each can, each box of spaghetti, each tuna tin is food that’s desperately needed. A 2011 food insecurity study by Feeding America found that nearly 49 million people—including one of every five children—needed emergency food assistance that year.

Food banks especially needs canned proteins such as tuna, salmon, chicken and beans. Canned fruits and vegetables are also high on the list of items preferred for their nutrient rich qualities and shelf stable durability.

Use a Stamp Out Hunger bag if you've seen one arrive in your mailbox, or just put your own bag out on Saturday.


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