On May 14, residents of the Village of Edwardsburg and Ontwa Township can take a stance against hunger.

Every year since 1991, members of the United States Post Office have been collecting non-perishable food items as part of the nation’s largest one-day food drive.

The Village of Edwardsburg and Ontwa Township have declared May 14 as “Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Day” in an attempt to heighten awareness of the need, not only in the United States, but also in their own backyard.

“By proclamation the two boards encourage the citizens of our community to support the food drive by placing non-perishable food items in or near their mailbox on Saturday May 14, food drive day,” Ontwa Township Trustee Jerry Marchetti said. “Letter carriers will pick up the packages while delivering the mail, and together we can all help to stamp out hunger.”

Getting involved could not be simpler.

All residents of the village and the township have to do is leave non-perishable food items in a bag by their mailbox May 14. The letter carriers will do the rest and 100 percent of the items collected will be donated to the Edwardsburg Food Pantry.

This year Stamp Out Hunger will celebrate its 24th anniversary.

In 2015, 71 million pounds of food was collected nationally, while in Edwardsburg, 250 full bags of boxed and canned food were collected.

“We have seen a huge growth the last three or four years,” Chris Kennedy of the Edwardsburg Post Office said. “Really since you guys (village and township officials, as well as the media) have gotten involved. It used to be that we did not have that out there. A few carriers would bring things in. Now we are having to bring a trailer in because that many more people have started participating.

“I know the carriers really enjoy doing it.”

According to the letter carriers distributed, the timing of the food drive is critical.

“Food banks and pantries often receive a majority of their donations during the Thanksgiving and winter holiday seasons,” the letter states. “By springtime, many pantries are depleted, entering summer low on supplies at the time when many school breakfast and lunch programs are not available to children in need.”

The Edwardsburg Food Pantry is a non-denominational, not-for-profit organization.  For those who do not have food items to donate, but would like to make a monetary gift, they can send it to the Edwardsburg Food Pantry, 24832 US-12, Edwardsburg, MI 49112.