Member Spotlight is a recurring blog post series intended to highlight and connect the dots between the programs and priorities of the NC State AFL-CIO and the leaders and activist members of our affiliates who make it all possible.
My name is Amber Dunn, and I am a member of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 545, living in Charlotte, NC, where I deliver mail from the United States Post Office downtown. My union runs Stamp Out Hunger, the largest one-day food drive in America, held every year on the second Saturday in May, and I am honored to serve as the Food Drive Coordinator for my Branch.
My passion to help those less fortunate than myself is what draws me to this work, especially during these difficult times. Thanks to my union, I have a good job that pays fair wages, so I don’t have to struggle to keep food on the table, but food insecurity is a problem for a lot of people–probably more people than you think. I’m actually from Charlotte, and 15 percent of residents in my home county of Mecklenburg cannot properly feed themselves–not just people who live below the poverty line but medium-income household members as well.
What I want people to know is that on Saturday, May 13th anyone can help fight hunger in their community, and it’s as simple as leaving a sturdy bag of non-perishable canned and boxed foods by your mailbox. We’ll take it from there and deliver your greatly needed donations to refill the shelves at local food pantries. Summer is approaching, and when most school meal programs are suspended, that means more empty tummies in the homes of school aged children. So donate, donate, donate!
For more information about Stamp Out Hunger, visit www.nalc.org/food-drive.
This post, originally published in May 2022, has been updated with the details for the 2023 Food Drive.