Tullahoma helped to stamp out hunger this month as citizens donated nearly 3,100 pounds of food to local pantries for the annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.

Earlier this month, the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) held its 34th annual Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive to help fill the shelves of food banks across the state and county. Locally, the food drive benefited the food pantries at Community Cares Ministries/ The Attic Outlet, Good Samaritan, Wesley Heights Methodist Church and First Christian Church.

The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, the country’s largest single-day food drive, provides residents with an easy way to donate food to those in need in the community. Residents participated in the food drive by leaving a sturdy bag containing non-perishable food next to their mailbox before regular mail delivery on Saturday, May 10, when mail carriers picked it up.

According to Community Cares Ministries Executive Director Lisa Caldwell, Tullahoma residents were able to donate 3,068 pounds of food for this year’s food drive. She also encourages residents who didn’t participate to join in next year, noting that the Stamp Out Hunger food drive always takes place on Mother’s Day weekend.

Regarding donated food, Caldwell added that canned food should be in date and no older than 1 year.