The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County will benefit from the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) annual food drive, Saturday, May 10.

Postal customers can donate non-perishable food items by leaving them next to mailboxes before mail is delivered on the day of the drive.

This year, the Foodbank’s goal is to collect 100,000 pounds of nutritious, shelf-stable food to support the increasing number of people turning to the Foodbank for help.

The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive accepts all shelf-stable, non-glass food items.

Foods needed most are nut butters, canned protein (i.e. tuna, chicken, salmon), whole grain cereals, pasta, canned pasta sauce, dried beans, canned beans, canned corn, healthy soups and stews, oatmeal, bouillon, olive oil and rice.

All non-perishable food left next to mailboxes before mail delivery on May 10 will be collected by letter carriers as they deliver mail along their postal routes.

All food donated by Santa Barbara County residents will go to the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County.

In 2024, Santa Barbara County residents donated more than 75,000 pounds of non-perishable food during the one-day drive, including more than 42,000 pounds for the Santa Barbara warehouse and some 33,000 pounds for the Santa Maria warehouse.

The number of people seeking food assistance continues to grow as inflation and the soaring cost of living force more local families to seek help, the Foodbank reports.

“Santa Barbara County has the second highest poverty rate among all counties in California, putting immense pressure on working families,” the Foodbank said. “At the same time, recent cuts to federal and state food programs have reduced the Foodbank’s access to critical resources.

“The cancellation of government initiatives and reductions in support have made it more challenging to meet the rising need. The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive offers an opportunity for our community to come together and provide real, tangible support to help close the growing hunger gap.

“The annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is one of the most important ways we can collect essential food for our neighbors in need.”

The NALC has conducted the annual nationwide food drive on the second Saturday in May for more than 30 years. The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is held in 10,000 cities and towns in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam.

Several national partners are assisting the NALC, including the U.S. Postal Service, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), National Rural Letter Carriers Association, United Way Worldwide, AFL-CIO, Valpak, Vallassis, the Kellogg Company, and CVS.

For those who would like to make a monetary gift, donations go even further through the Foodbank’s network of partners, where every $1 provides $5 worth of nutritious food.

Visit www.FoodbankSBC.org to make a secure donation and help bridge the hunger gap.

For more about the Foodbank, visit www.FoodbankSBC.org.