Carriers attempt to ‘stamp out’ Manatee hunger Saturday

On one special day each year, Manatee County residents are encouraged to put a bag of nonperishable food near their mailbox for pickup by their letter carriers, who see that it gets to the county’s needy.

This year’s Letter Carrier’s Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is all day Saturday.

“We are so appreciative of this collaborative effort with the U.S. Postal Service and the Letter Carriers as we move into the summer months when food donations drop off and the need for food is greatest,” said Maribeth Phillips, chief executive officer of Meals on Wheels PLUS, which receives a large portion of Saturday’s donations for The Food Bank of Manatee, which is one of its programs.

Food items of greatest need include baby food and formula, peanut butter, tuna, boxed and canned meals, beans, healthy cereals, single-serve fruit cups and 100 percent fruit juice, according to a news release from The Food Bank of Manatee.

Residents can also make monetary donations, the release states.

Information: Cindy Sloan, 941-747-FOOD or csloanatfoodbankofmanatee.org. Day of event: 941-586-9309.

This story was originally published May 10, 2017 at 5:51 PM with the headline "Carriers attempt to ‘stamp out’ Manatee hunger Saturday."