Press releases

Letter Carriers deliver food
for House of Hope

PRESS RELEASE DATE: APRIL 29, 2009

Stamp Out Hunger, the nation’s largest single-day food drive, will be held Saturday, May 9, 2009.

The annual food drive is conducted by the National Association of Letter Carriers, and House of Hope is the primary recipient in Martin County.

Last year, the drive brought in 44 tons of food to House of Hope, amounting to about 103,000 meals for Martin County's hungry.

In preparation for the drive, residents throughout Martin County will receive a post card from their letter carrier, notifying them about the drive; they also will receive a bag from Publix. Residents are asked to leave the bag (or other sturdy container) containing non-perishable foods next to their mailbox prior to their regular mail delivery on May 9. Letter carriers will pick up the food and bring it to a central location for sorting by House of Hope volunteers.

If you miss your pickup, please bring the food to any House of Hope location, in Stuart, Hobe Sound, Indiantown or Jensen Beach.

Food items should be in non-breakable containers, such as boxes and cans. Examples include canned soup, vegetables, fruit or tomato products, and boxed pasta, potatoes or cereal. Glass containers should be avoided because of their weight and high risk of breakage during such a large food drive.

The food drive comes at a key time because of already high demand stemming from the current economic crisis. Through the first quarter of this year, House of Hope has distributed nearly 20 tons of food, fulfilling 3,410 requests from individuals and families in need. The requests are more than double the number seen during the same period in 2008.

Donations are even more critical entering the summer months because many children no longer have the benefit of their school lunch program.

House of Hope’s Food Pantry program – along with the agency’s Emergency Financial Assistance and Clothes Closet programs -- provides temporary assistance to families during personal crises beyond their control. The Food Pantry program also serves many fixed-income senior citizens on a regular basis.

For information about House of Hope, please call (772) 286-4673 or visit www.hohmartin.org.