Clark County collects over 15,000 pounds of food for ‘Stamp Out Hunger’

About 15,000 pounds of food was collected in Clark County during last weeks annual Stamp Out Hunger event coordinated by U.S. Postal Service letter carriers.

About 15,000 pounds of food was collected in Clark County during last weeks annual Stamp Out Hunger event coordinated by U.S. Postal Service letter carriers.

Clark County residents participated in one of the nation’s largest one-day food drives, known as Stamp Out Hunger.

Through the collective efforts of the postal service, Clark County residents, and local food banks, about 15,441 pounds of food was collected last week, which is equal to 12,868 meals, according to Tyra Jackson, executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank of Clark, Champaign, and Logan counties.

“It is a great number and (we are) proud of the number of people who supported the food bank this weekend,” Jackson said.

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Last year, 17,303 pounds of food was collected in Clark County in just one day - that equates to about 14,000 meals, according to Jackson.

The drive was coordinated Saturday, May 11, by U.S. Postal Service letter carriers. Participating residents left nonperishable food products at their doors for the letter carriers to collect.

The food collected was donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank, which provides food assistance to thousands of area residents.

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Second Harvest is currently in the process of becoming a locally-operated nonprofit called the Ohio Tri-County Food Alliance. The transition began in October of last year.

Jackson said Stamp Out Hunger gives everyone an opportunity to do something good, even if it’s a small gesture.

“If someone has an extra can, they can set it out and that can feed one person. I think it’s a great way for the community to give back.”

Jackson also thanked letter carriers for their volunteerism.

“We had a lot of trucks that were completely full,” Jackson said. “It means a lot to us that they’re willing to do that for us and for the community.”

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