2011 Stamp Out Hunger bagging the bags

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - We are taking a closer look at a food-raising effort in its 18th year. In 2011 Stamp Out Hunger organizers are putting green twist on helping to feed the hungry.

To say it is a shot in the arm is an understatement. The Stamp Out Hunger partnership between the US Postal Service and Food Finders Food Bank has been big in years past.

"It typically brings in 70,000 pounds of food," said Bunder.

Food Finders Executive Director Katy Bunder said the need for people to give continues to be great.

"If you do not have food you can not do anything else,” said Bunder. “You cannot work on the other social problems so everyone understands that and everyone responds so well to Food Finders. We feel so lucky."

The Stamp Out Hunger effort is changing this year. You will still get a post card, but you will not be getting a plastic bag with it, you provide that. Once the food is collected, the plastic bags are recycled.

Bunder said the "old way" used more bags and wasted more time.

"Putting these bags out was really tedious for Food Finders,” said Bunder. “We had to have volunteers, for weeks in advance, fold these bags and stapling them to the postcards. By stapling them to the post cards they frequently had holes so they were not as usable as ones that you may have just brought home from the grocery store."

"It is like putting a letter out in the mailbox to go out for the day," said Morgan.

Leslie Morgan with the US Postal Service said May 14 will be a stressful day for mail carriers, but it is worth it.

"It is one of those things that you know that it is going to be extra work, but you know it is such a great thing to do," said Morgan.

Stamp Out Hunger 2011 is set for May 14. You can expect to see those reminder post cards in the mail. Bunder said there is still the need for volunteers.

To find out how you can help, call (765)471-0062.