Food drive donations down this year
Collections were about 44% less in the annual Stamp Out Hunger endeavor but will still “help many families.”
Karla Greenway, the CEO of Interfaith Emergency Services and her husband, Shane, look over a large bin of donated food during the National Association of Letter CarriersÕ annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive in the Reuben Brawner Center Warehouse Food Pantry at Interfaith Emergency Services in Ocala, Fla. on Saturday, May 9, 2026. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2026.
We’ve all heard the adage, “Every little bit helps.”
In the case of this year’s National Association of Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, which took place on May 9, that could not be more true.
According to Karla Greenway, chief executive officer of Interfaith Emergency Services, and Laura Klingelsmith with the US Postal Service, this year’s donations were down but will still help a lot of people.
“We collected 46,471 pounds of food this year, which was 37,186 less that last year, so about 44% less,” Greenway wrote via email on May 11. “But we understand that many in our community are also struggling, so we are just grateful that we got as much as we did. This will help many families over the next couple of months.”
Each year on the second Saturday in May, letter carriers collect donations to benefit local food pantries like the one operated by Interfaith. Most of the food collected May 9 will go to people in Marion County and also help support the Food4Kids Program that feeds as many as 1,800 children every weekend. Klingelsmith has been with the USPS for 28 years and involved with the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive for most of those years.
“The numbers were down, but overall, it was a success in that many people will have food that may have otherwise went hungry. We are grateful, as always, for the outpouring from our community in an effort to help our neighbors in need,” Klingelsmith wrote via text on May 11.
“We can’t thank the incredible letter carriers who did this because they care about this community. So many let us know that it means a great deal to them to do this every year. They are truly the heroes of the day,” Greenway said.
The good news is, those who want to help can still make donations.
“People can continue to put donations in their mailbox if they missed participating on Saturday and still want to contribute,” Klingelsmith noted.
“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 added.
The most needed items are soup, canned meat, vegetables, fruit, cereal and peanut butter.
To learn more, go to iesmarion.org
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