HOLT, Fla., April 27, 2020–The annual letter carriers’ food drive scheduled for May 9 has been postponed.

The 28th annual Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger® Food Drive will be scheduled for later in the year, according to a March 27 news release by the National Association of Letter Carriers.

The annual food drive is key to the Holt Community Food Pantry, according to Donna Ash, pantry manager.

“That’s a big hit for us in the canned foods,” she said. “We usually get a lot of needed canned goods during the drive.”

According to the release, the safety of postal employees and community volunteers “is of paramount importance” during COVID-19 stay-at-home orders across the nation.

“NALC and our national partners recognize that food assistance is a critical need for many during this difficult time, and we remain committed to helping those in need in the communities we serve across America,” according to the release.

The NALC annual drive is the largest one-day food drive in America.

Food drive donations last year during the Stamp Out Hunger drive totaled about 3,500 pounds for the Holt Community Food Pantry.

Last year the drive brought in an estimated 3,500 pounds of canned and dried goods, packing the Holt food pantry’s shelves, the most food collected in the past five years.

All food donations in the Holt Zip Code stay in the Holt community making this drive the most important one of the year.

Anyone who wishes to donate food or funds to support the pantry can do so at the First Baptist Church of Holt or the Holt Water Works office.

A new date for the 2020 drive has not yet been scheduled.