After another successful year in 2022, local food pantry officials are hoping for a good follow-up to the National Association of Letter Carriers’ “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive for its 32nd anniversary this year.
During the event, which will take place on May 13, Pine Belt residents are encouraged to fill a grocery bag with healthy, non-perishable food and place it by their mailbox that morning. Postal carriers will then collect the food items, which will be distributed between Christian Services, Edwards Street Fellowship Center, Petal Children's Task Force, and the Salvation Army of Hattiesburg. The week of the event, Pine Belt residents will receive postcards with a message saying they can “Fill a Bag. Help Feed Families.”
“We’re looking forward to it, because we desperately need the food,” said Demaris Lee, executive director of the Petal Children’s Task Force. “We’re always trying to find food because our numbers (of the families we serve) go up every month.
“So we’re trying to find food to put in our (monthly food) boxes, so they won’t be so empty. People only get to come here once a month, and with that once a month, it’s kind of hard for them to make it. So we’re looking forward to getting food on the shelves for our people.”
In addition, food collection bins will be available in the post office lobbies in downtown Hattiesburg, on 40th Avenue, and in Petal for those who receive their mail in a post office box or drawer.
All the food collected in the 39465 ZIP Code will go to the Petal Children’s Task Force, while food collected in Hattiesburg will go to Christian Services, Edwards Street Fellowship Center and the Salvation Army.
“That’s one thing that’s really cool about it, is knowing that the food stays right here in your own community,” said Ann McCullen, executive director of Edwards Street Fellowship Center. “It’s super easy for people to do, because all they have to do is leave a bag of food out by their mailbox … and the letter carrier picks it up and makes sure it gets to the feeding agency. So it’s easy, and it makes a really, really huge difference.”
The national, coordinated effort by the NALC to help fight hunger in America grew out of discussions in 1991 by a number of leaders at the time, including NALC President Vincent R. Sombrotto, AFL-CIO Community Services Director Joseph Velasquez and Postmaster General Anthony Frank. A pilot drive was held in 10 cities in October of 1991, and it proved so successful that work began immediately on making it a nationwide effort.
“This is great for the agencies because we don’t have to go out and solicit food donations as much; it really makes an impact,” McCullen said. “Last year’s food drive, for the whole area, brought in (more than) 52,000 pounds of food, and that’s a lot of food.
“I got a text from the local coordinator at the post office, Dennis Mitchell, and he said that our area was first in the Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana district for the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive for last year. So we’re really hoping that this year is another big year.”
Although in years past, officials were able to provide the grocery bags to participants, they were unable to obtain those items. However, it is hoped that doesn’t deter individuals from contributing to the effort.
“We’re asking people to please not forget, and still put (their donations) outside the mailbox,” Lee said. “They can put them in (other) bags and the carrier will pick them up.”
Items that are particularly needed this year include canned vegetables, canned soup, pasta noodles, peanut butter, canned meats, cereal and canned fruit.
So far this year, Edwards Street has assisted an average of 1,944 households per month, representing 6,323 individuals in the area. In April alone, the agency assisted 1,994 families, representing 6,612 individuals.
“It’s staggering, and it just kind of makes you mad to realize that so many people have to come to a food pantry because they really don’t know how they’re going to feed their family this week,” McCullen said. “These are people you’re seeing when you’re driving around in your car, or at your kid’s school.
“These are families that are struggling, so the need is just huge. So what’s cool about this event is that nobody has to carry the weight on their own – everybody is just doing a little something, but it adds up to a record-setting number.”
To help advertise the food drive, Hattiesburg Mayor Toby Barker will read a proclamation for Stamp Out Hunger at 9:30 a.m. May 10 at the United States Postal Service office at 220 South 40th Avenue in Hattiesburg.
