Earlier today, Laurel Mayor Johnny Magee met with letter carriers from the Laurel post office to deliver a proclamation declaring the city’s support for the National Letter Carrier’s Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.
This year marks the 34th year for the food drive, which asks residents to put non-perishable food in their mailboxes so that their local letter carrier can pick it up and deliver it to a local food pantry. In Laurel, the beneficiaries of this food drive are The Glory House and the Good Samaritan’s Center.
“It helps the ones in need, especially the elderly,” Mattie Napier, Vice President of the National Association of Letter Carriers and Shop Steward said. “We try to give back and we wish we could do it more than once a year.” However, while she encouraged everyone to participate in the food drive, she also stated that residents may drop off non-perishable donations at the Laurel post offices throughout the year. “People can always leave food for our carriers. They can bring it here and I can deliver it personally!”
The proclamation read as follows:
Whereas, every year on the second Saturday in May, letter carriers across the country collect non-perishable food as part of the nation’s largest one-day food drive, distributing the donations to local food banks; and
Whereas, The Letter Carrier’s Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is just one example of how letter carriers work to make a difference in the lives of those they serve, having collected and distributed more than 1.82 billion pounds of food since inception of the program in 1991; and
Whereas, The City of Laurel wishes to recognize all letter carriers for their hard work and their commitment to their communities – but especially those in our own community whose efforts benefit those in need here in the Laurel/ Jones County area; and
Whereas, We also recognize the noteworthy milestone of 34 years that the National Letter Carrier Food Drive celebrates in 2025.
Now, therefore, I, Johnny Magee, Mayor of the City of Laurel, Mississippi, do hereby proclaim, Saturday, May 10, 2024 as Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Day in the City of Laurel and urge all citizens to join me in supporting the food drive by placing non-perishable food items in or near our mailboxes on May 10 for pick-up by our dedicated mail carriers, so that together, we can all help to feed the hungry.
In witness thereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the City of Laurel, Mississippi, to be affixed this the 6th day of May, A.D. 2025.
