Overview
- The nationwide Stamp Out Hunger drive, which ran Saturday, had letter carriers collect nonperishable food left at mailboxes for nearby pantries.
- In Madison, dozens of mail trucks arrived packed with donations that volunteers transferred to a larger truck serving 16 Wisconsin counties, with organizers expecting tens of thousands of pounds.
- In St. Paul, Keystone Community Services reported busy sorting lines and said the food will help restock shelves for the 56,000 people it serves each year through its center, mobile markets, and home deliveries.
- Food-assistance leaders linked the strong turnout to higher living costs, citing the latest Consumer Price Index showing prices up 3.3% year over year, the food index up 2.7%, and energy up 12.5% with gasoline up 18.9%.
- The event is the nation’s largest single-day food drive, held annually since 1993, with reporting that it has collected nearly two billion pounds nationwide.