REMINDER: The Stamp Out Hunger Good Drive is May 9
Local letter carrier says last year’s Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive temporarily helped co-workers.
U.S. Postal Service worker Jorge Aleman unloads donated food from his mail route and passes it to Ryland Anderson, 5, a volunteer with Kut Different, center, and an unidentified member of Kut Different, during the National Association of Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger food drive at Interfaith Emergency Services in Ocala on May 10, 2025. This year’s drive will take place on May 9. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette file photo]
Laura Klingelsmith has been with the US Postal Service for 28 years and has been involved with the National Association of Letter Carriers’ annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive for all but a couple of those years.
As a local organizer, she does a lot of behind the scenes work to ensure that each year’s drive has a chance of succeeding. And it’s a good thing, as last year, some of her own co-workers had to avail themselves of the food that had been collected and given to Interfaith Emergency Services, which operates a food pantry.
“You never know when it’s going to be you or someone you love who is need of this. Last year, there was a mishap with pay and several of our own carriers — who had just finished the drive — ended up having to go to the food bank themselves. Thankfully, it was there and we had just done the drive. The carriers then were able to give back when everything got straightened out,” Klingelsmith shared.
Interfaith Emergency Services is a leading nonprofit agency in the county. It provides a wide range of services for individuals and families looking for food, clothing, shelter, housing, medication and other basic human needs. Karla Greenway is the agency’s chief executive officer. She said they continue to see an increase in new clients, including many who never thought they might need to reach out for help.
Each year, letter carriers across the country head out on their routes on the second Saturday in May to collect donations of non-perishable food items to benefit local food pantries like the one operated by Interfaith. Since launching in 1993, the annual endeavor has grown into the nation’s largest one-day food drive.
The majority of the food that will be collected on May 9 will remain in Interfaith’s pantry and go to the homes of residents of Marion County, along with supporting the agency’s Food4Kids Program, which sends weekend meals home with children in partnership with local schools and feeds as many as 1,800 children every weekend.
Interfaith, which has been in operation for 42 years, has been participating in the annual letter carrier’s food drive for 31 years.
holds a sign she made to thank letter carries for collecting
donated food from their routes during the National
of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger food drive at
Emergency Services in Ocala on May 10, 2025.
[Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette file photo]
Ahead of the drive, Klingelsmith said plastic collection bags and postcard reminders will go into mailboxes in the area. On the day of the drive, people can fill the bag or a box and place the food in or near their mailbox. Their carrier will do the rest, even in the more rural areas of the county.
People also can make donations at bins in the lobbies of branch post offices, at central PO box units and some communities, such as On Top of the World, may accept donations at their social centers.
“We need nonperishable food items and people also can make cash donations to Interfaith. All of it stays local to help our community,” Klingelsmith said.
“And you can always drop off food at our Interfaith food distribution warehouse at 450 NW 2nd St. or at our thrift store at 718 N. Pine Ave., Ocala,” Greenway said.
“We need any and all non-perishable food items. Our top six are soup, canned meat, vegetables, fruit, cereal and peanut butter. And, unless it is baby food, expiration dates don’t apply to food safety. So, we can take items that are out of date. We use the FDA guidelines and most non-perishable foods are safe to consume well beyond those dates. Those dates are actually to benefit retail grocery stores to assure the optimal quality of the food,” Greenway noted.
As for why she continues to be involved in the effort year after year, Klingelsmith said, “I love being able to give back to the community in a way that I know it stays local.”
“I realize how expensive groceries have become for everybody and it could just be one tiny mishap away — no matter how well you’re doing — before it could be you or a loved one who needs food,” she added.
“So, please remember to empty those pantries,” Klingelsmith added. “Every can of soup counts, so don’t think your donation is too small.”
Those who are interested in volunteering for the May 9 drive can reach out to Interfaith’s food distribution manager Maxi Rodriguez at (352) 274-3008.
To learn more, go to iesmarion.org and nalc.org/community-service/food-drive
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