Highest Results From One-Day Food Drive in Six Years
16th Annual "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive with letter carriers increases food raised despite increased food costs
Shoreline, WA, May 19, 2008 - The 16th Annual "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive held on May 10th, 2008 has brought in 762,170 pounds of food to Food Lifeline from postal customers in King County and the other areas served by Branch 79 of the National Association of Letter Carriers. This is the highest amount raised over the past six years, despite the climbing cost of consumer's grocery bills.
The "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive is a collaborative effort between affiliates of America's Second Harvest (including Food Lifeline) and the National Association of Letter Carriers. Every year since its inception in 1992, the letter carriers have collected bags of donated food from the mailboxes of residents in King County and in participating markets nationwide to collect food from residents.
Goals were high this year, and the event was cause for enthusiasm among the carriers. Carriers from the Wallingford postal station placed lawn signs among their route, and saw an increase of 2,000 pounds among its residents. The Midtown station - which serves Downtown Seattle and Belltown - also saw a significant increase in donations, in part due to donation boxes placed in the lobbies of a select number of apartment buildings and condominiums.
The incredible amount of food comes in at a critical time, when food levels in the warehouses of Food Lifeline and the food banks it serves are at dangerously low levels. "We are so pleased to have a full warehouse again," says Linda Nageotte, President and CEO of Food Lifeline. "Our volunteers are working hard to get this food in the homes of hungry people who might not have had as many options last week."
Food Lifeline will be able to provide well over half a million meals to people in King County with the food and funds donated by members of the community through this event. So far, the equivalent of 614,331 meals has been donated, a number that continues to increase as additional donations of food and funds come in from across King County.
About Food Lifeline
Food Lifeline is the Western Washington member of America's Second Harvest, the Nation's Food Bank Network. Food Lifeline is the largest food-distribution agency in Washington, procuring and distributing more than 21 million pounds of food to over 300 local food banks, meal programs and shelters serving more than 560,000 hungry children, families and individuals in 17 counties.
Contact Information
Camille Wells
Food Lifeline
(206) 545-6600 x 230
camillew@fll.org
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