The crown jewel of Bill Sherman's 37 year career as a postal worker is helping to start the Stamp Out Hunger food drive locally. In the early '90s, the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 828 knew it wanted to join in the new national Stamp Out Hunger food drive but no one had taken the lead on it yet. Sherman and his colleague Cathy Sample answered that challenge. Armed with a date (always the second Saturday in May) and a Bill Keane cartoon, the pair organized Monroe County's first Stamp Out Hunger food drive.

 

After weeks of preparation, the big day arrived and around 9,000 pounds of food was collected. Sherman was ecstatic and he continues to feel that joy every year since. At the end of the day, after the donations are sorted, seeing the incredible amount of food the community has contributed for those in need is Sherman's favorite part of the food drive.

 

Sherman takes a great deal of pride in this food drive. Even years when he was off work the second Saturday in May, he could be found in his personal car collecting donations. He fondly remembers reassuring several community members who saw him putting their donations in his car that he wasn't taking the food home for himself! He also remembers competing with his coworkers to see who had collected the most pounds of food.

 

Hunger never sleeps and, despite the generosity of our community, it is difficult for food banks to keep up with increasing demands. Most food pantry donations come in around the holiday season and pantries rely on the Stamp Out Hunger food drive to help meet summer needs. Find out more about the need in our community and how you can help by visiting monroeunitedway.org/StampOutHunger!

 

To help get the word out about Stamp Out Hunger, click here >>