If combating food insecurity is a priority for you, the National Association of Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive 2025 on Saturday, May 10 offers a ground advantage, literally and figuratively.
“The post office carriers bring a bag to you and you can just put food in and leave the bag right by the mailbox. They make it as user-friendly as possible, and that is why we get such a good response,” said Leanna Kruszewski, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.
Citywide, carriers from 12 post offices will collect food with the help of almost 400 volunteers. Tucson residents can expect the signature yellow Stamp Out Hunger bags in their mailboxes on Wednesday, May 7. Bags with food can be placed in — or next to — mailboxes on Saturday, May 10, but preferably not before.
The event is the largest annual food drive for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. Last year, almost 250,000 pounds of canned and non-perishable food was collected, and Kruszewski said the goal this year is to collect 275,000 pounds.
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Donations of any non-perishables are welcome: Most-requested items include peanut butter, canned vegetables, low-sodium canned soup and stews, pasta and wild rice, canned or dried beans, canned fruit, canned proteins (tuna and chicken), oatmeal and high-fiber cereal without added sugars. Glass jars are discouraged.
“This drive really helps to stock our pantry throughout the year. It is a huge boost for our stockpile. We cover 23,000 square miles and five counties in Southern Arizona, so we need all the food we can get,” said Kruszewski.
Last year, the food bank distributed almost 35 million pounds of food, including more than 15 million pounds of produce. Kruszewski emphasized that 28 percent of those who received emergency food boxes were under age 18 and 22 percent were over the age of 60.
“These are people who are food insecure. We get lots of seniors and lots of families, with lots of children. We are seeing as much need as ever and it continues to climb. People are really feeling the struggle at the grocery stores,” Kruszewski said.
The timing of the food drive is particularly helpful, according to Brianna Wohlford, Outreach Coordinator for the food bank.
“There are lots of food drives in the winter, but during the summer months they can be forgotten. For kids facing food insecurity, drives like this help ensure that our pantries are stocked and ready to go in the summer when the kids aren’t in school and can’t get meals there,” Wohlforrd said.
