Media release
Editor’s note: Jacob Redway, United Way of Payne County and Steve Riggs, USPS Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, will be in the KUSH studio, Wednesday, May 11, 2022 @ 8 am to talk about this upcoming food drive.
(CUSHING, OKLA. / May 2, 2022) – It’s that time of year again. The 30th annual Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is set for Saturday, May 14. The event, organized by the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), is the country’s largest single-day food drive.
The drive is hosted by local letter carriers. All food items collected in Cushing will be donated to the Cushing community food pantry. To participate, residents are encouraged to leave a bag of non-perishable food items next to their mailbox before mail delivery on Saturday, May 14. “The need for food assistance is greater than ever,” Ruth Cavins, United Way of Payne County executive director, said. “Children, seniors and hardworking families in our community rely on food donations year-round. Together, we can stamp out hunger in Payne County.”
Heather Chrisp, the Cushing postmaster who helps organize the drive, said this is the first time in several years the post office is hosting the drive.
“Our letter carriers have collected up to 1,100 pounds of donations in the past,” Chrisp said. “We’re hoping to come back strong this year and help out those in our community who need it the most.” If you have a P.O. box or miss your letter carrier, you can drop off your donation in the lobby at the post office, 16 S. Cleveland Ave, Cushing.
Perkins and Stillwater letter carriers are also participating in this years’ food drive to benefit their local food pantries.
According to the Regional Food Bank, Oklahoma is the fifth hungriest state in the nation and one in five families in Payne County are food insecure. The NALC says that 45 million Americans, including 15 million children, are food insecure.
Suggested non-perishable items to donate include canned goods (meats, fruits or vegetables), pasta, rice, soups, peanut butter, granola bars, cereal, nuts, beans, olive oil and dried fruit.
The United Way of Payne County helps promote the food drive each year. For more information, contact the United Way at 405-377-2161, learn more at www.unitedwaypaynecounty.org or stop by the office at 109 E. Ninth Ave. The United Way has been serving the Payne County community for 70 years. They invest donated dollars in their 22 nonprofit, partner agencies to improve the health, education and financial stability of every citizen in Payne County.
