By K. Brent Hill, Executive Director of Neighbor to Neighbor
On Saturday, May 9, Neighbor to Neighbor’s food pantry was awash with bright blue bags of nonperishable food donations – 1,712 to be exact – delivered by local postal workers as part of the National Association of Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. Launched in 1993, Stamp Out Hunger has become an annual tradition and the largest one-day food drive in the country. The format is simple: on the second Saturday in May, carriers distribute empty blue bags along their routes, residents fill them, and the carriers deliver the donations to local food pantries.
The rain that day was no match for the postal workers or the dozens of volunteers who gathered at our headquarters in Greenwich and at the Old Greenwich Post Office to drop off, count, and sort donations from across town. We provided snacks for the crew, and the energy in the pantry was palpable as donations came in well into the evening – even sparking friendly competition among post offices as we tallied each truck’s haul.
Stamp Out Hunger is always a welcome boom to Neighbor to Neighbor’s food reserves, but this year the need is greater than ever. It may come as a surprise that even in a community as prosperous as Greenwich, more than 11% of residents face food insecurity – and that number is climbing. The rising costs of food, gas, and other everyday expenses, coupled with changes to eligibility for federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, have led to a 13% increase in our clients since this time last year.
Across Fairfield County, more than 11,000 families are at risk of losing some or all of their SNAP benefits, which will have a ripple effect on Neighbor to Neighbor and other food pantries in our area.
With help from our generous donors, volunteers, and partners, Neighbor to Neighbor has been helping to fill the gap for over 50 years. While the food insecurity landscape presents new challenges, we are redoubling our efforts to support the community as long as the need persists — and we invite you to join us. Whether you participated in Stamp Out Hunger this year or not, there are many ways to support our neighbors:
● Volunteer — Stock shelves, help with client check-out in the pantry, get your hands dirty
in our community gardens, or provide on-site support for future events.
● Host a food drive (in person or virtually) — Most-needed items include cereal,
canned soups, pasta, rice, canned proteins (beans, tuna, etc.), and personal care items
(baby wipes, toothpaste, etc.).
● Make a financial contribution — Give directly to help feed our neighbors.
● Contact your elected officials — Urge them to support state and federal relief for families in need.
As Stamp Out Hunger proves every year, we are stronger together. I encourage you to visit our pantry and see what we have to offer. Working as one, we can achieve our vision of a caring community where everyone has access to nutritious food, clothing, and other essentials.
K. Brent Hill is the Executive Director of Neighbor to Neighbor. Visit the website or call 203-622-9208 to learn more and get involved.