Stamp Out Hunger Collects 17,043 Pounds for The Open Door Programs

The Open Door
Julie LaFontaine, President and CEO
28 Emerson Ave.,
Gloucester, MA 01930

Media Contact: Kelsey Richards
Email: kelsey.richards@foodpantry.org
Phone: 978-283-6776 x 226

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday May 14, 2024

Stamp Out Hunger Collects 17,043 Pounds

for The Open Door Programs

From left: Delivery Driver Albert Pereira, Warehouse Associate Scott Silva, Mobile Market Farmers Truck Coordinator Frank Margiotta, Warehouse Assistant Manager Joel Barry (on ladder), Food Pantry Coordinator Olivia Jarvis, Ipswich Community Food Pantry Coordinator Glenn Prescott, Director of Operations Jen Perry, Fulfillment Center Coordinator Sal DiMercurio, and Senior Manager of Acquisition and Distribution Gary Sprague hold up donations from Saturday’s Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.

(Photo Courtesy of The Open Door)

CAPE ANN—Local letter carriers collected 17,043 pounds of food donations for The Open Door at Saturday’s 32^ndNational Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.

“The annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive unites neighborhoods here on Cape Ann and across the country to alleviate the impact of hunger right where we live. Letter carriers, volunteers, staff, and donors join the massive one-day food collection working shoulder to shoulder to connect our neighbors to good food,” President and CEO Julie LaFontaine said. “The coordinated effort illustrates once again how this community shows up to care for one another when hard times come.”

Every year, participating NALC Branch members collect nonperishable food donations left by mailboxes to feed families across the country. Locally, NALC Branch 25 members from the Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Ipswich post offices collect donations left by mailboxes to support hunger-relief programs of The Open Door.

Donations were dropped off at The Open Door on Saturday, where volunteers process and sort them to connect their neighbors to good food.

“With the help of an amazing team of volunteers and letter carriers, our staff run a lean and efficient sorting event to turn around over 17,000 pounds of donations for immediate distribution through our food security programs,” said Director of Operations Jen Perry.

By the end of the day on Saturday, donations had traveled from mailboxes directly to the shelves at The Open Door.

About The Open Door

The mission of The Open Door is to alleviate the impact of hunger in our community. We use practical strategies to connect people to good food, to advocate on behalf of those in need, and to engage others in the work of building food security.

Founded in 1978, The Open Door is a 501 (c)(3) tax exempt nonprofit and community food resource center for low-income residents of Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester, Essex, Ipswich, Hamilton, Boxford, Rowley, Topsfield, and Wenham. In 2023, The Open Door helped stabilize the lives and health of 9,836 people from 4,952 households through the distribution of 1.98 million pounds of food.

For more information, visit FOODPANTRY.org.

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