Stamp Out Hunger

Dear Friends:

The easiest way to donate non perishable food to the hungry has just
arrived. And it’s just feet from your front door.

For one day - Saturday, May 14, 2011 – South Jersey residents can leave bags of non- perishable foods at their mailbox…and the bags will be picked up by neighborhood postal carriers along with the mail. The food is then brought to central postal locations where the Food Bank of South Jersey makes arrangements to secure the food and distribute it to those who are hungry.

“If there’s an easier way to feed your neighbor, I sure don’t know what it is,” explains Val Traore, the Food Bank CEO. “You don’t even have to leave your home.”

Collect non-perishable food items from around your home Bag or double-bag the items in plastic Place your donation at your mailbox on May 14th for pick up with the mail

Take the Pledge! Now through May 14th, join the Stamp Out Hunger cause on Facebook. For every person who joins the cause, Campbell's will donate 1 pound of food to Feeding America. Visit the cause now!

Each year the post office collects millions of pounds of food for local food banks. “We’re in desperate need right now,” says Traore. “We’re trying to get food to the hungry through our agencies and through our direct service programs.” By getting the word out through local papers and TV stations, Traore hopes to alert more South Jersey residents to the problem of hunger in our area and this effortless way to help stamp it out.

Over 100,000 people in South Jersey need emergency food assistance every year, and over a third of that number are children. “With cuts in school breakfast and lunch programs and a lack of summer feeding programs, these children are in jeopardy.” explains Traore, who also has a long waiting list of senior citizens whose monthly checks are not enough to cover essentials – like medications and rent – along with food. “If we can let the public know just how serious the situation is out there, I believe we’ll get a good response on May 14th.”

The Food Bank asks for non perishable goods such as unopened cans and boxes to be left in bags by your home’s mailbox. Especially critical are canned proteins such as tuna, salmon, chicken and beans. Donations of canned fruits and veggies are also high on the list of items preferred for their nutrient rich qualities and shelf stable durability.

For more information or details please contact Lydia Cipriani of the Food Bank of South Jersey,
1501 John Tipton Blvd, Pennsauken, NJ. The phone number is 856-662-4884, ext 133.

~Food Bank of South Jersey staff