May 1, 2012 — On Saturday, May 12 letter carriers in more than 10,000 cities and towns across America will do much more than deliver mail when they walk and drive along their postal routes.

They will also collect non-perishable food donations left at mailboxes and in post offices by citizens participating in the 20th annual National Food Drive to “Stamp Out Hunger” — the largest one-day food drive in the nation.

According to recent statistics, 49 million Americans live in food insecure households, which means they do not know where their next meal will come from.

One out of four of those Americans are children. Food insecurity has been associated with grade repetition, absenteeism, anxiety, aggression, low test scores, underdeveloped social skills and poor health.

The Susanville annual food drive is in its 13th year. According to Richard Estacio, Union President Local Branch 2608, there are six city postal routes, one auxiliary route and four rural routes in Susanville.

A good amount of food has been collected from the 11 postal routes and two post offices in previous years thanks to community participation, said Estacio.

All food donations go to the Salvation Army and Crossroads Ministries in Susanville. Estacio said after all the food is collected, volunteers from each organization come down to the collection site with trucks, trailers and vans, and divide the food between the two groups.

The local food drive is aided by public service announcements on KSUE radio station, the Swap Shop radio program, stories in the Lassen County Times, local cable Channel 15, flyers posted atlocal grocery stores and the two Susanville post offices, XX Country radio and postcards delivered to all mailboxes on all 11 routes and all Post Office boxes at both Susanville offices, which should be delivered no later than May 10.

The efforts of letter carriers, other postal employees and numerous volunteers has resulted in more than one billion pounds of donations to community food banks, shelters and pantries in the United States over the last 19 years.

The food collected during the national food drive helps support approximately 14 million children during summer months when free school breakfasts and lunches are not available.

Donations also help fill food banks and pantries to continue providing food to needy families when holiday giving has slowed.

For more than 9 million seniors, food donations can make the difference of having to choose between eating or buying medicine.

Nationally, Campbell Soup Company, a major corporate sponsor, supplies postcards and magazine and newspaper advertisements, in addition to earmarking an additional one million pounds of canned food for the drive.

AARP also supports the drive by providing nearly 15 million paper bags in the 10 hungriest states.

Additional media support comes from Valpak Direct Marketing, which promotes the drive on more than 44 million envelopes delivered to postal customers, and International Paper, who donates paper and prints the AARP bags.

The national food drive also relies on the support of the United State Postal Service, National Rural Letter Carriers Association, United Way Worldwide, the National Association of Letter Carriers Community Services Network, Feeding America and Uncle Bob’s Trucking.

Family Circus cartoonist, Jeff Keane, who created a special cartoon in memory of his father, Bill. to promote the food drive, also provides generous support.