05/06/2026
The power of 1 can:
This Saturday is the NALC and the USPS’s annual “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive. The largest food one day food drive in the United States. Every year mail carriers pick up food left by mailboxes to feed countless numbers of people. However, our numbers have fallen off in recent years. Last year in Cuyahoga Falls across the 44221 and 44223 area codes, letter carriers collected 3,250 lbs of food. I challenge the community to crush this number this year and I want to show how easily it can be done.
Route 40 in the 44221 zip code is a fairly average route with 451 unique addresses. Some routes have more, a few have less, but for this example we’ll say the rest of the routes are the same. There are 28 full routes in the 44221 zip code, multiply that by 451 addresses and you have a little less than 12,700 addresses (we’re going to round up for now). Now, one can of food averages just a shade under 1 pound. With all of this being said, if everyone gave just 1 can, we could beat last years haul by 4x. Take a look through your cabinets. Maybe you got something your kids wanted and then they changed their mind. If it’s non-perishable, we want it. Maybe you have two cans you can part with, maybe you have more. Either way, if you’re able to help, there are certainly people who would appreciate it. We hope you will choose to participate this Saturday and we look forward to picking up your donations!