Letter Carriers, TAPIN-RI Collected 2 Tons of Food for East Bay Residents in Need

Barrington, RI – On Saturday, May 13, letter carriers partnered with the outreach organization TAPIN-RI (Touch A Person In Need) to collect over two tons of non-perishable food items for East Bay residents in need. The event was part of the national Stamp Out Hunger Campaign, which the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) has put on for the last 25 years. The NALC partners with local organizations like TAPIN-RI to address the issue of food insecurity. According to the Census Bureau, 14% of households (15.8 million households) in the United States lack reliable access to affordable nutritious food, and one in five American children lives in poverty.

Each year, TAPIN-RI participates in the Stamp Out Hunger Campaign, which comes at a crucial time of year for TAPIN-RI’s Food Closet. School ends for the summer in mid-May, which means that many children stop receiving regular lunches. Also, food donations to TAPIN-RI are lower at this time than during the holiday season. Alleviating food insecurity in the East Bay is central to TAPIN-RI’s mission. According to the USDA, 12% of Rhode Islanders (51,000 households) are food insecure, and 20,000 Rhode Island households have reported experiencing severe hunger.

Even though the Stamp Out Hunger Campaign is over, TAPIN-RI continues to depend on regular donations to provide food to East Bay residents in need. TAPIN-RI welcomes food donations year-round. Especially needed are: canned vegetables, soup, spaghetti sauce, tuna fish, and fruit, as well as peanut butter, pasta, and cereal. Less critical but also needed items include: condiments, powdered milk, juice boxes, snacks, crackers, and baking ingredients.

TAPIN-RI accepts donations Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon at TAPIN-RI’s headquarters in the Library building on County Road in Barrington. Donations can also be made between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank at 200 Niantic Road in Providence.

In addition to donations, TAPIN-RI is also in critical need of volunteer drivers to take clients to medical appointments. For more information about this or any of TAPIN-RI’s outreach services, visit tapinri.org or call 247-1444. TAPIN-RI provides a number of resources and services to East Bay residents in need. TAPIN-RI is open from 9 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday.

#TAPINRI #StampOutHunger #FeedingAmerica #RIFoodBank info@tapinri.org contactus@rifoodbank.org