Letter 

Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive

Saturday, May 12th marks the 26th Anniversary of one of America’s great days of giving – the National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drivel. Letter carriers walk through the community every day, often coming face to face with a sad reality for too many, hunger.

So, each year on the second Saturday in May, letter carriers across the country collect non-perishable food donations from our customers. These donations go directly to local food pantries to provide food to people in Perth Amboy who need our help.

Last year, we collected over 75 million pounds of food nationally, feeding an estimated 64 million people. Over the course of its 25-year history, the drive has collected approximately 1.6 billion pounds of food, thanks to a postal service universal delivery network that spans the entire nation, including Puerto Rico, Guam, and U.S. Virgin Islands.

The need for food donations is great. Currently, 49 million Americans – 1 in 6 – are unsure where their next meal is coming from. Thirteen million are children who feel hunger’s impact on their overall health and ability to perform in school. More than 5 million seniors are over age 60 are food insecure, with many who live on fixed incomes often too embarrassed to ask for help.

Our food drive’s timing is crucial. Food banks and pantries often receive the majority of their donations during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons. By springtime, many pantries are depleted, entering the summer low on supplies at a time when many school breakfast and lunch programs are not available to children in need.

Participating in this year’s Letter Carrier Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is simple. Just leave a non-perishable food donation in a bag by your mailbox on Saturday, May 12th and your letter carrier will do the rest. Please help us in our fight to end hunger, and we celebrate our 26th anniversary uear om America’ s great day of giving.

Sincerely,

Philip D. Clark

President Local 457 NALC

Perth Amboy, NJ

A Helping Hand and A Handout

I’m sure it must be a highlight for both daily commuters and visitors alike to be greeted by a contingent of “homeless” people at the Perth Amboy Train Station. Without a doubt, some have physical and/or mental disabilities. Yet physical problems did not preclude Franklin Delano Roosevelt from becoming President. As for those with mental issues, perhaps some of them have risen to the heights of leadership as well. But maybe, just maybe, just maybe, some of the “homeless” are just plain lazy. I also noticed a few of them have cell phones! Everyone needs assistance now and then, but there’s a difference between a helping hand and a handout!

Michael J. Rusznak