One out of every six people turn to hunger relief programs for support. Berkshire County food pantries have all seen an exponential increase in need this year, which is why Berkshire United Way (BUW) supports efforts like the annual National Association of Letter Carriers’ (NALC) Stamp Out Hunger® Food Drive.
Every year on the second Saturday in May, United States Postal Service carriers collect donations of nonperishable food items along their routes. On May 11, Dalton, Pittsfield, North Adams and Great Barrington residents are encouraged to leave out a bag of nonperishables to be collected by their postal carrier.
Amy Breault, NALC Branch 286 president, has overseen the drive in Pittsfield since 2006. She said that at the height of their success, Pittsfield carriers collected 42,000 pounds of food. The pandemic paused the annual drive for two years and it has been slow to rebound. In 2023, Pittsfield collected 11,500 pounds and North Adams collected 5,000 pounds.
Since launching in 1993, Stamp Out Hunger® has grown into the largest one-day food drive, helping to fill the shelves of food banks throughout the United States. United Way Worldwide is a strategic partner in this event.
BUW coordinates volunteers to assist with sorting the food and then allocating it to local pantries. If you're interested in volunteering, sign up at www.volunteerberkshireuw.org.