Easy Way To Give Back: Help Stamp Out Hunger 2023

Stamp Out Hunger 2023: Saturday, May 13!

Saturday, May 13, 2023 brings one of my favorite SIMPLE ways to give back to my community: Stamp Out Hunger.

I love this program for an easy way to make a difference — without even leaving the house. Simply collect and bag non-perishables you’d like to donate and place them in a bag in/near your mailbox before your mail time for your letter carrier to pick-up. All of these items will be delivered to a local food bank.

Items to consider donating include canned meats/fish, soup, 100% fruit juice, canned veggies, boxed pasta, cereal, peanut butter, and rice. Do not include items that are expired or in glass.

From my experience volunteering at food banks, cans of tuna or chicken and peanut butter specifically are great to donate since this often may be the only source of protein a family receives during any given week. My mom also runs a food bank and suggests items like ranch, pancake/muffins mix that only need water, diapers, toilet paper and paper towel {in packaging!} for families.

Reasons to Help Stamp Out Hunger

• It’s an excuse to clean out your pantry.
• It’s an EASY way to help people in need.
• It helps families in your neighborhood — literally — since it goes to local food banks.
• It serves as a reminder that we are blessed to be food secure.
• It provides us with a great lesson to teach our children about giving back and helping others.

While this is a national program, it benefits LOCAL families. I know in my area, the need for food has dramatically increased the past few years with inflation hitting groceries. In Michigan, 1 in 8 children face hunger.

More facts to consider:

• Children who experience hunger during their first five years of life, are less ready for kindergarten than their classmates who came from homes with enough to eat.
• They lag behind in social, emotional and to some degree, cognitive skills when they begin kindergarten.
• Children who experience hunger early in life were more likely to have lower reading and math scores than similar low-income children who didn’t experience food insecurity.

Do your part and put together a bag of items and help a family in need! Read more about the Stamp Out Hunger initiative here.

How To Help Hunger Efforts in Southeast Michigan

If you forget to put out items, you can always call one of these local food banks to see how you can help:

• Bountiful Harvest {Brighton}
• Food Bank Council of Michigan {Lansing}
• Food Bank of Eastern Michigan {Flint}
• Food Gatherers {Ann Arbor}
• Forgotten Harvest {Oak Park}
• Gleaners Community Food Bank {Detroit, Howell, Pontiac, Taylor, Warren}
• Greater Lansing Food Bank {Lansing}
• Open Hands Food Pantry & Garden {Royal Oak}

Find the entire list of participating food banks in the program here.

What items will you be donating to help Stamp Out Hunger?