FORT MYERS, Fla. - TelAve -- The National Association of Letter Carriers' annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive returns Saturday, May 9, giving Southwest Florida residents a simple, powerful way to help stock local food pantry shelves at a time of growing need.

In advance of the drive, letter carriers will deliver specially marked plastic bags to homes, condominiums and apartments throughout the region. Residents are encouraged to fill the bags with nonperishable, shelf-stable food and leave them by their mailbox for pickup on May 9. Letter carriers will collect donations along their routes and deliver them to local food banks and partner agencies.

"With more families facing tough choices at the grocery store, the need is not slowing down," said Richard LeBer, president and CEO of Harry Chapin Food Bank. "Stamp Out Hunger makes it easy for our community to take action right from their mailbox and help ensure our neighbors have food on the table."

Items most needed include breakfast bars, canned fish or chicken, dry or canned beans, canned vegetables, pasta and pasta sauce, cooking oil, dry milk, peanut butter and jelly, rice and canned soups.

"Most residents will receive a donation bag in their mail, but if not, any sturdy bag will work," said Steve Camacho, who is coordinating the Stamp Out Hunger initiative in Lee County. "Every neighborhood matters. Our letter carriers and volunteers will be out across Southwest Florida on May 9 collecting food that will go directly to local families."

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The National Association of Letter Carriers launched Stamp Out Hunger in 1993. Since then, the effort has collected nearly 2 billion pounds of food nationwide, making it the largest single-day food drive in the country. In 2025 alone, letter carriers collected more than 48 million pounds of food, with 8 million pounds collected just right here in Florida.

Locally, donations from Stamp Out Hunger help support Harry Chapin Food Bank and its more than 170+ agency partners across Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties, serving neighbors experiencing food insecurity.

For more information about how to participate or support hunger relief efforts year-round, visit HarryChapinFoodBank.org (https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https:/harrychapinfoodbank.org/___.YzJ1Omd1bGZjb2FzdGNvbW11bml0eWZvdW5kYXRpb24xOmM6bzoxNWNjMjM3ZTQ4ZjBlY2MyMGMyNDRhODdjYWM2OGNhZTo3OmJjNTE6MzJhNzBhYTkxYjBiMjdhNDkzMWM2ZDU5MzJhMWU2MjdmMGVkMDJlYjdkNWJkMTUwNWFjNzhj...).

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About the Harry Chapin Food Bank

Harry Chapin Food Bank, a Feeding America partner food bank, is the largest hunger-relief organization in Southwest Florida. In 2025, the nonprofit distributed 38.7 million pounds of food through its agency partners, mobile pantries, mobile markets and programs for local children and seniors. The nonprofit serves nearly 300,000 neighbors per month across Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties. Harry Chapin Food Bank is an Agency Partner of United Way, Blueprint Partner of the Naples Children Foundation, rated as a Four-Star Charity by Charity Navigator and Platinum-rated by Candid's GuideStar. For more information, please visit HarryChapinFoodBank.org (https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https:...) or call 239-334-7007.