CAMDEN, N.J. – On Saturday, May 12, 2012, Campbell Soup Company will join forces with the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) to help Stamp Out Hunger across America. Now in its 20th year, the annual food drive has grown from a regional to a national effort that provides assistance to the millions of Americans struggling to put food on the table.

The Stamp Out Hunger food drive, held on the second Saturday in May, has become the nation’s largest single-day food drive benefitting Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization. In 2011, generous Americans donated 70.2 million pounds of food, which marked the eighth consecutive year that at least 70 million pounds were collected by letter carriers.

“We’re incredibly excited for the 20th anniversary of the Stamp Out Hunger food drive,” said Fredric V. Rolando, NALC president. “We’re asking people across the country for their support to make this year’s drive the most successful in its 20 year history. It’s so easy to make a donation: simply leave a bag of non-perishable food by your mailbox to help neighbors in need. That’s all it takes.”

This year, Nick Cannon, multi-talented entertainer and member of the Feeding America Entertainment Council, is the national spokesperson for the Stamp Out Hunger food drive for the second year in a row. The drive particularly hits home for Cannon, who experienced hunger and visited food pantries as a child. Cannon will promote the drive on television and radio, as well as in print and social media to encourage even greater participation and donations.

The need for food assistance continues to exist in every community in America, no matter how rich or poor. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual study measuring food security in the United States, the number of Americans living in food insecure homes reached nearly 49 million in 2011 (the most recent year that such data is available). Perhaps most alarming is the fact that more than 16 million children in America – more than 1 in 5 – are faced with the prospect of hunger.

Campbell Shows Its Support Campbell Soup Company and its partners are producing post cards and shopping bags that will be delivered to more than 90 million homes across the country as a reminder to participate in the drive. In addition, Campbell will again support this year’s food collection effort by donating one million pounds of food to Feeding America.

“Campbell is committed to the success of the Stamp Out Hunger food drive and we encourage everyone to participate,” said Denise Morrison, Campbell Soup Company’s president and chief executive officer. “It’s unfortunate that millions of Americans, especially our children, continue to go hungry in a country as bountiful as ours. We believe that, with the help and generosity of those who are able, we can provide much needed support for our community members in need.”

Get Involved In Your Community. To participate in the 20th Stamp Out Hunger food drive, Americans are encouraged to leave a sturdy bag containing non-perishable foods, such as canned soup, canned vegetables, pasta, rice or cereal next to their mailbox prior to the time of regular mail delivery on Saturday, May 12. The nation’s 210,000 letter carriers, representing nearly 1,500 NALC branches, will collect these food donations as they deliver the mail and take them to a local Feeding America food bank or hunger-relief organization in more than 10,000 communities. Feeding America provides food assistance to 37 million Americans every year. According to Feeding America, one in eight Americans relies on the organization for food and groceries, and the organization distributes 3 billion pounds of donated food and grocery products annually.

For more information about the annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive, visit www.helpstampouthunger.com or www.facebook.com/StampOutHunger, and follow the drive at www.twitter.com/StampOutHunger.