San Antonio Mail Carriers to Collect 500K Pounds of Food

On May 9, postal workers across San Antonio will transform into food collection heroes, aiming to gather 500,000 pounds of donations in a single day.

The National Association of Letter Carriers is partnering with the San Antonio Food Bank for the annual Stamp Out Hunger drive. It's the largest one-day food collection event in South Texas, and participating couldn't be simpler.

Just leave non-perishable food by your mailbox or front porch before your mail arrives. Letter carriers and volunteers will collect it during their regular routes. Apartment residents can leave donations by their mailbox clusters.

"The letter carriers on the second Saturday will do all that work for you," said San Antonio Food Bank CEO Eric Cooper. "It's a really easy way for you to make a difference."

The Ripple Effect

San Antonio holds special significance in this nationwide movement. The city was one of the original communities that launched this food drive over 30 years ago, helping establish a program that has now collected 1.94 billion pounds of food nationally.

The drive spans the entire United States, including Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Every second Saturday in May, letter carriers use their universal delivery network to turn mail routes into lifelines for hungry families.

Cooper says the food bank regularly receives calls from people wanting to donate but unsure how. This event removes every barrier by bringing the donation opportunity directly to people's homes.

The most needed items include peanut butter, canned proteins like tuna, soups, chili, stews, rice, beans, and canned fruits and vegetables. Every non-perishable item helps feed someone in need across the region.

Cooper summed up the community spirit simply: "San Antonio always turns out."